Debbie Young

Deborah Young is a mom of five children. She is also the Chair of the undergraduate Contemplative Education Department at Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. Deborah's undergraduate degrees are from the University of Colorado in education, the fine arts, and the social sciences.  She began her career as a juvenile probation officer with the Boulder County Sheriff's Department.  She then taught art at Boulder High School before being drawn into her lifelong committment of early childhood education and the needs of the poor.

She has a MA in Foundations and Curriculum development, an EdS in Leadership, Policy, and Administration, and a PhD in Education Innovation and Leadership. She began her educational training in Montessori Education and at the Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential.  Her educational philosophy is popular education embracing critical pedagogy as way to move towards peace and social justice.  Deborah is currently involved in research in rural and urban areas of Nicaragua using early childhood education and peace education as a foundation for community development programs.

She continues her passion of researching special needs of single mothers and the impact of poverty on families and children. Deborah has set up programs to serve needs locally and internationally. She has volunteered for more than 27 years in many programs serving women in impoverished countries. She has combined her academics with service work in the Sanctuary movement of the 1980’s sheltering refugee women and on providing education and avenues of empowerment for women and children.

Deborah has founded many schools during the past twenty-seven years including a middle school based on service learning. She has been involved in the charter school movement in Colorado and was instrumental in initiating several Charter Schools. She is currently the executive director of AACC  and designs and directs community development programs serving women and children in rural villages and impoverished urban areas of Central America. Deborah’s college classes involve service work commitment and international travel.