Janel A. Young

Janel A. Young, Director (Witt O’Brien’s), Janel is a skilled policy advisor with more than a decade of experience in economic and community development and managing complex housing programs. She is an expert in the design and implementation of programs for vulnerable households and distressed communities. Janel brings proficiency in risk management, strategic planning, project analysis and feasibility review, organizational management, housing policy, project management, government affairs, community and economic development, affordable housing, and program design and implementation.

Janel utilized innovative strategies to identify and eradicate the barriers to affordable housing for the State of Louisiana for 12 years. She served as the State’s affordable housing designee on subcabinets for the Governor of Louisiana. Janel has been nationally recognized by the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the National Council of State Housing Finance Agencies as a leader in recovery housing and community development. During her eight years at the Louisiana Housing Corporation, she served as a member of the Executive Team as the Director of Policy & Strategic Initiatives. Prior to serving in this capacity, she served as Senior Advisor to the Executive Director, and Director of Disaster Recovery. In these roles, she worked on incentivizing low-income housing developments and maximizing partnerships. She effectively pursued research operations to ensure the organization’s capability to implement the most effective housing policies to serve the citizens and communities of Louisiana. Prior to her tenure at the Louisiana Housing Corporation, she served as Director of Housing for the Louisiana Office of Community Development, Disaster Recovery Unit, and four years as State Housing Manager, responding to Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Gustav, and Ike.

Education and Training: Masters of Professional Studies, Community and Economic Development, Penn State University; B.S., Education, Jackson State University; Executive Education Certification, Leading in an Era of Complexity, University of Notre Dame