Dr. Ellie Young is the newest associate dean of the David O. McKay School of Education at Brigham Young University. Young will serve with Dean Sarah Clark, whose appointment this spring created an opening in the dean’s office, as well as fellow associate dean Charles Graham and other leaders in the office. "This is a significant and exciting development for our college," Clark said. "I am deeply grateful to Ellie for her willingness to take on this leadership role. She is a trusted colleague and leader, and I have no doubt that she will serve our college with great compassion and attentiveness." In her new role, Young will oversee the important areas of curriculum development and student support. Prior to her appointment, she was chair since 2021 of the McKay School’s Counseling Psychology and Special Education (CPSE) Department. Her successor in CPSE will be appointed at a future date.
A Wyoming native, Young is an accomplished school psychologist, professor of counseling psychology, and professor of special education. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from BYU and worked as a school psychologist for 10 years in Kansas and Missouri before earning a doctorate at the University of South Florida.
Her research interests focus on early identification of youth with social, emotional, and behavioral concerns in secondary settings and implementation of social-emotional supports for all students. This knowledge will provide key insights as Young works to meet the needs of McKay School students. In 2021, Young received BYU’s Steven M. Rose Teaching and Learning Faculty Fellowship and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Utah Association of School Psychologists. She lives in Springville and enjoys skiing and other adventures with her husband, Frank, as well as time with her three children and seven grandchildren.