PROFESSIONAL PROFILE
HELEN YOUNG
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Helen Young is an Emmy award-winning writer and producer who forged a career in broadcast journalism by blending a passion for investigative reporting with a commitment to illuminating critical issues of the day. She wrote, directed, and produced “The Nuns, The Priests, and The Bombs” an independent documentary that examines security surrounding America’s nuclear weapons facilities in the wake of two high profile breaches. One occurred at the Y-12 Nuclear Security Complex in Oak Ridge, Tennessee in 2012, and the other at the Kitsap-Bangor U.S. Naval Base near Seattle in 2009. In both cases activists, including Catholic nuns and priests in their eighties, were able to penetrate the facilities by cutting through fences with bolt cutters. Y-12 stores the bulk of America’s bomb grade uranium and the Kitsap-Bangor naval base is home to the largest stockpile of operational nuclear warheads in the country and eight Trident nuclear submarines. The narrative interweaves the story of the activists with facts about the cost and lethal power of America’s nuclear weapons. While making the film, Helen blogged on The Huffington Post on aspects of the nuclear weapons issue.
Over the course of more than 25 years, Helen worked as a staff writer and producer on a number of network hard news and magazine broadcasts including “The CBS Evening News with Dan Rather”, “Dateline NBC”, “CBS This Morning” with Harry Smith and Paula Zahn, “Street Stories” with Ed Bradley and “America Tonight “. Helen has also written and produced documentaries for MSNBC and for Al Roker Entertainment on subjects ranging from the American space program to the childhood obesity epidemic. She has won one National Emmy award and three New York Emmy awards for her work, as well as awards from the Society of Professional Journalists, United Press International, the National Commission on Working Women, and the Red Cross.
During her tenure at CBS News Helen worked on the “Eye on America” team on high profile stories including the death of Princess Diana, the O.J. Simpson murder trial, and the Oklahoma City bombing. She also produced investigative stories that led to policy changes at the U.S. Department of Agriculture in regard to meat inspections. Another series exposed an organization soliciting female college students for egg donation and surrogate motherhood. The stories led to the group shutting down. During the 1996 U.S. Presidential election, Helen worked on “In Touch with America” reports on issues of concern to the American electorate. The series was honored by Harvard’s Shorenstein Center for Press, Politics and Public Policy. She also traveled the country with anchorman Harry Smith producing “Travels with Harry” reports. While at NBC News, Helen wrote and produced stories on the impeachment of President Clinton and the death of John F. Kennedy Jr.
Helen began her broadcast journalism career at WCBS-TV in New York City. She produced award-winning stories for the investigative unit that led to policy changes at the Department of Motor Vehicles, the Department of State, The Emergency Medical Service, and at retail vision chains.
Helen received an M.A. from Columbia University. She also holds a Certificate from Columbia’s Harriman Institute. Helen graduated with a B.A. from The City College of New York where she was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.
