| Mary Young | |
| State House: | Colorado |
| District: | 50th |
| Term Start: | June 2, 2019 |
| Predecessor: | Rochelle Galindo |
| Party: | Democratic |
| Spouse: | Dave Young |
| Education: | St. Mary's College, BA Duke University, M.Ed. University of Northern Colorado, Ph.D. |
| Residence: | Greeley, Colorado |
| Website: | |
Mary Young is an American politician, psychologist, and special education teacher from the state of Colorado. A Democrat, Young has represented the 50th district of the Colorado House of Representatives, based in Greeley, since 2019.[1] [2]
From 1973 until 2001, Young worked as a special education teacher, initially in Romeoville, Illinois before moving to Weld County, Colorado. After getting a Ph.D. in psychology in 2000, Young began working as a school psychologist, which she continues to do.[3]
In 2018, 50th district incumbent – and Young's husband – Dave Young ran successfully for Colorado State Treasurer, and was succeeded in the State House by fellow Democrat Rochelle Galindo. Galindo resigned only 5 months into her term, however, after being accused of sexual misconduct and providing alcohol to a minor.[4]
That June, a Weld County Democratic vacancy committee met to determine Galindo's successor. Young won 6 of the committee's 9 votes, while Greeley-Evans school board member Rhonda Solis received 3; four other candidates applied but received no votes.[5] [6] Young assumed office immediately. She was re-elected in 2020 and 2022.
In the 2021-2022 legislative sessions, Young sat in the Public & Behavioral Health & Human Services Committee and was vice-chair of the Education Committee. In the 2022 legislative session, Young sponsored bills which aimed at improving supportive learning, special education, mental health, reducing license fees and other similar measures.[7] For the 2023-2024 Legislative Sessions, Young sat on the same committees however became the Vice-Chair of the Public & Behavioral Health & Human Services Committee. In September 2022, the Colorado Behavioral Health Council recognized Young for her legislative work on behavioral health.[8]
Young lives in Greeley with her husband Dave.[9] She is a school psychologist. Young is also a co-guardian of her sister-in-law after a liver transplant.[10]