Projects Articles

Mark Allen serves as vice chairman of the Youth Villages board of directors. He is the executive vice president, general counsel and secretary and is responsible for directing the international and domestic legal, security and government affairs for the FedEx Corporation and its subsidiaries.

Jes Averhart is CEO of Jes & Co. and creator of Reinvention Roadmap. Averhart is a fourth-generation entrepreneur focused on leadership development and women’s empowerment.

Mike Bruns serves as chairman of the Youth Villages board of directors. He previously served in the role from 1997-2001 and 2005-2013, a period of great growth and expansion for the organization.

Burns brings personal experience in the child welfare system to the Youth Villages National Board of Directors. He entered foster care in his teens and was a part of several Youth Villages programs including LifeSet.

Jennifer “Jenny” Bush currently serves as President-Gulf Region, Cummins Sales and Service. She joined Cummins in 1997 and served as General Manager for the Commercial Marine Business

Amy Crate has been building and marketing brands for three decades. She began her career in advertising at Saatchi & Saatchi, BBDO, and DDB Worldwide.

Vanessa Diffenbaugh was born in San Francisco and raised in Chico, California. After graduating from Stanford University, she worked in the non-profit sector, teaching art and technology to youth in low-income communities.

James D. Lackie previously served as the chairman of the Youth Villages board of directors from 2018-2022. Jimmy’s involvement in Youth Villages, Inc. began in 1987