NEW ORLEANS — Camelback Ventures has announced the appointment of Shawna Young as CEO. Camelback is a national accelerator focused on increasing access to opportunity for entrepreneurs of color and women by investing in their ventures and leadership while advocating for fairness in their funding.
“I’m profoundly excited about joining Camelback Ventures as the next CEO and having the opportunity to continue Aaron Walker’s vision at an organization that is at the forefront of driving equitable entrepreneurship and fostering diverse founders,” said Young. “I am personally inspired by Camelback’s commitment to identifying and empowering entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds.”
“Shawna is a seasoned executive that brings years of experience in guiding mission-driven nonprofit teams toward creating enduring impact,” said Lloyd Johnson, Camelback Ventures board member. “From guiding promising high school students towards elite college education to equipping women with the skills and knowledge to pursue tech careers, her leadership has consistently steered her organizations towards their goals.”
Young comes to Camelback from Ada Developers Academy, where she served as interim CEO. She’s also gained experience working at the Scratch Foundation, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Duke University, the Broad Institute, the Education Development Center, Durham Public Schools and Forward Impact Investments. She earned an MBA from MIT, a master’s degree in science education from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a Bachelor of Science in chemistry from Howard University. She also earned a certificate in nonprofit management and leadership from Boston University.
