Xan Young

Xan Young is a principal technical assistance consultant at AIR. She directs the Violence Prevention Technical Assistance Center (VPTAC), funded by the Prevention Practice and Translation Branch, in the Division of Violence Prevention at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). VPTAC provides comprehensive training and technical assistance (TTA) to recipients of PPTB funds—state and local health departments and state domestic violence coalitions—to promote a cross-cutting approach to preventing multiple forms of violence, including youth violence, intimate partner violence, child abuse and neglect, and sexual violence. VPTAC also works with the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office in the Department of Defense to provide TTA on sexual assault in the military.

Young previously directed the Youth Violence Prevention TTA Center at AIR, funded by CDC. The center provided TTA to twelve local health departments in cities with high rates of youth violence to build their capacity to develop and enhance community coalitions, develop comprehensive youth violence prevention plans, identify and implement evidence-based practices, and integrate youth violence prevention efforts in the community.

Prior to joining AIR, Young served in several roles related to her TTA and subject matter expertise. As director of the Suicide Prevention Resource Center’s Training Institute, she oversaw the development and dissemination of online courses and virtual events as well as traditional face-to-face training programs. As manager of the HP LIFE e-Learning project, she coordinated an international team that developed thirteen online courses and translated those courses into six different languages. As technical assistance manager for the Children’s Safety Network, she managed a team that provided TTA to state health departments to increase their capacity to prevent injuries and violence among children and adolescents.

Young has dedicated her career to preventing the leading causes of death among children and youth: unintentional injuries, suicide, and homicide. For more than 15 years she has provided TTA to help diverse professionals and advocates collectively create conditions in which young people can survive and thrive. Young has a particular interest in addressing social determinants of health responsible for health inequities.