Young is currently the CEO at Career & Recovery Resources, Inc. She brings to CFTH more than 20 years’ worth of diverse management experience in program development, change management, strategic leadership, team-building, and organizational design. 

An executive search was launched in May 2023 when CFTH’s current President & CEO, Mike Nichols, announced his plans to retire at the end of this year. Nichols has led the organization since 2019. 

CFTH is lead agency to The Way Home, the Houston area’s public-private partnership to make homelessness rare, brief, and nonrecurring through permanent housing paired with supportive services. Houston’s progress in addressing homelessness has gained national attention; the partners of The Way Home have together housed approximately 30,000 people since the formation of the collaborative in 2012. 

“The CFTH Board of Directors is an outstanding group of community leaders invested in the organization’s mission and vision. I am grateful to them for trusting my abilities and experience to lead CFTH’s future,” said Young. “I have worked for many years with many different populations in multiple fields, and what I know is that without secure housing, no one can move toward a fully self-determined life. You must have a place to call home. I am eager to continue the incredible work of CFTH in maximizing the impact of the homeless response system, developing partnerships both within and outside of the homeless service providers, and increasing the understanding of our community concerning homelessness.” 

“We are delighted that CFTH’s new leader will be Kelly Young,” said CFTH Board Chair Troi Taylor. “Not only does she bring a wealth of experience in running organizations that break barriers for people who have experienced economic hardship, she also has a strong vision for the future of homelessness response in Houston.” 

“Kelly Young has been an impactful leader for CRR for the past five years through COVID and the development of CRR's service model,” said CRR Chairperson Bonar Luzey II. “Her commitment to the population and mission she serves creates meaningful and lasting change. She will be a tremendous asset to CFTH as their new CEO. We wish her great success in her next role.” 

“Kelly has all the personal and professional attributes necessary to succeed in this very challenging — and very meaningful — role,” said Nichols, CFTH’s outgoing CEO. “She is an experienced executive with considerable knowledge about leading non-profits and about The Way Home, our local homeless response system. She also understands how to use government funding most effectively. We are fortunate to have recruited such an outstanding CEO.” 

Young has been CEO of Career & Recovery Resources, Inc., since 2019. Prior to that, she served as CEO of what was then called AIDS Foundation Houston, now Allies in Hope, from 2012 to 2019. 

Earlier in her career, Young held leadership roles at The Women’s Fund for Health Education and Research and at the Houston Area Women’s Center. She has more than 20 years of experience providing direct services, program management, or program leadership to populations who are in crisis, under-resourced, and living in poverty. 

She is the board finance chair for the Midtown Management District. She was named one of the Most Admired Nonprofit CEOs by the Houston Business Journal in 2022. 

Young holds a master’s degree in managerial sciences from Amberton University in Garland, Texas, and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Portland State University. She is originally from Eugene, Oregon, and has lived in Houston since 1997.

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