Vice President of Programs
At Prebys, Emily shares the title of Vice President of Programs with her colleague Chris Sichel. Emily leads the foundation’s grantmaking on arts and medical research grantmaking, and shares responsibility with Chris for general program management, health, and the foundation’s leadership development and nonprofit capacity building efforts.
Emily’s work has spanned a variety of fields, including climate change, environmental health and conservation, arts and culture, education, neighborhood revitalization, and strengthening nonprofits with a focus on underrepresented communities. She previously served as Executive Director of The Nonprofit Institute in the School of Leadership and Education Sciences at the University of San Diego. Prior to that she was Vice President of Community Impact and Environment Program Director at the San Diego Foundation, and she was an Assistant Professor of Geography and Regional Development at the University of Arizona.
Dr. Young received the 2011 Funder’s Network for Smart Growth Nicholas P. Bollman Award for leaders who inspire through values and action, while the climate initiative she led at San Diego Foundation received both the 2012 HUD Secretary’s Award for Public-Private Partnerships and the City of San Diego’s Climate Protection Champion Award.
Emily graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a double BA in Ibero-American Studies and Spanish, and a MS in geography. She received a PhD in geography from the University of Texas at Austin. A native of Madison, Wisconsin, Emily developed an early love for living abroad and traveling, as well as spending time outdoors. She enjoys seeing a show, hiking and skiing with her husband, Serge Dedina and their two sons.