Melissa Young Named Volunteer of the Year by United Way of Greater Houston

HOUSTON, TX -- United Way of Greater Houston named Melissa Young as this year’s recipient of the 2023-2024 Robert W. Kneebone Volunteer of the Year Award at its annual meeting. The Kneebone Award is a distinguished honor given to a United Way volunteer in recognition of their extraordinary leadership and commitment to community service.

Young served on the Board of Trustees from 2016 to 2024 and was a member of the Executive Committee, as well as the inaugural chair of the organization’s Marketing Committee. In that role, she helped lead the organization through a brand refresh, the development of new messaging, and website revamp. She also played an integral role in the merger between United Way of Greater Houston and Montgomery County United Way and serves as an advocate for her neighbors as chair of United Way’s Montgomery County Regional Council.

“Melissa’s energy and passion are contagious and she has inspired countless others to lift up their community by supporting United Way,” said Amanda McMillian, president and CEO, United Way of Greater Houston. “Her leadership both personally and professionally has made a significant impact not only on our organization, but on the communities we serve who benefit from her commitment to helping our neighbors go from surviving to thriving.”

Young is the CEO and owner of Corporate Incentives, Inc., which produces marketing and promotional items for businesses around the world. A certified women-owned business (WBEA), Young’s company competes with publicly traded firms in a highly competitive industry and continues to rank among the top of the industry in revenues. A graduate of St. Thomas University, Young has been recognized with awards for her business acumen and community service. She brings her broad range of business and communications skills to her volunteer roles at United Way.

As a long-time member of the Women Who Rock Committee, Young has also helped guide and grow United Way’s Women Who Rock, an event that originated with Montgomery County United Way. March 2024 marked the 11th annual event, which set attendance record with over 900 guests. The event helped raise $150,000 to fund childcare scholarships for parents who are pursuing educational opportunities to increase their family’s financial stability.

“My involvement with United Way of Greater Houston is something that brings me great joy and fulfillment because of the positive impact they have on the wellbeing of our community,” said Young. “To be included among the many dedicated volunteers who have been recognized with this award is a great honor.”

The 2023-2024 Young Leader of the Year award was also presented at the annual meeting to Teal Holden, senior vice president of Ambulatory Services and Post-Acute Care at Memorial Hermann. Holden is a visionary healthcare professional with over 15 years of experience in healthcare management and operations, process improvement, strategic planning, and humanizing the patient journey. The Young Leader of the Year award recognizes Holden for her commitment to volunteering for initiatives that help uplift the community’s youth, while mentoring colleagues early in their healthcare career.