Edith Young: Rising With Resilience

Edith Young was ready for more. 

After nearly three decades in the male-dominated tech industry, Edith made a bold and inspiring decision to change careers. 

Finding Her Tribe in TeamWomen

In 2022, Edith was five years into a role as an IT supervisor at Hennepin County. She was deeply experienced. She was comfortable. And she was operating on autopilot. 

After being passed over for a promotion to IT Manager—twice—she began reevaluating her future.

Luckily, she had found a network of supportive women just a few years earlier. In 2017, Edith began dipping her toe into TeamWomen’s community. She didn’t join immediately. She attended several events to explore the opportunities TeamWomen would offer. 

She attended the 2017 Annual Leadership Conference at the invitation of a friend, and the rest is history. 

Ultimately, what stood out to Edith most was the overwhelming sense of camaraderie. 

“There was no competition,” Edith told TeamWomen. “We rise together and learn from each other.”

TeamWomen isn’t just about networking. It’s about empowerment. 

And in 2022, when she was ready for something more out of her career, it was TeamWomen that empowered her to leave the public sector and find her next chapter. 

“TeamWomen supported me along the way. They listened to all the things I was thinking about and offered me great advice,” Edith said. 

The advice was simple and powerful: 

• Don’t be afraid. 
• Use your skills. 

So that’s exactly what she did. 

Leap One

Edith has always been incredibly active on LinkedIn, and with the encouragement of her tribe at TeamWomen, she decided to lean on her strengths there. 

In November 2022, she came across a post from the Vice President of IT at CHS in Inver Grove Heights. They had an opening for a Product Delivery Manager. 

She sent a direct message to the VP.

Would you be open to an informational meeting about the position? 

Seven minutes later, he responded. They set up a 30-minute call for later in the week.

He thanked her at the end of that initial call and asked her to reach out to him directly if she decided to apply. Edith applied. 

In January 2023, she was offered the role, which she accepted. 

Leap Two

But even bold moves come with challenges. In October 2024, just 19 months into her new role at CHS, Edith was informed that her position would be eliminated due to organizational restructuring. It had been a difficult tenure—team dynamics were strained, and the environment had taken a toll.

But she did it once and knew she could do it again. 

“The next day, I went into networking mode,” Edith says. She reengaged with TeamWomen members, reignited her LinkedIn presence, and began exploring new opportunities.

Soon after, she saw a LinkedIn posting for an IT Services Manager position at The Minnesota Star Tribune. Edith reached out directly to the recruiter with a personalized message, introducing herself, sharing her enthusiasm for the opportunity, and requesting a conversation. 

The recruiter responded the next day.

From that message on November 26, things moved quickly. By December 19—less than a month after leaving CHS—Edith had accepted the Star Tribune’s offer. Her network and resilience had opened the next door once again. 

Giving Back and Looking Ahead

Today, Edith is thriving in her new role at the Star Tribune and remains deeply committed to advancing women in technology and leadership. 

Her dedication to TeamWomen has only grown stronger. 

In 2019, Edith began her work as a Mentor for the TeamWomen Mentor Program, which she continues today. Later, she joined the membership committee, served as Vice Chair, and now proudly sits on the TeamWomen Board. 

In addition to mentoring and board service, she donates her time and energy wherever possible, viewing it as both a responsibility and a privilege.

Her advice to others navigating career transitions?

“Don’t be afraid. Reach out. Ask questions. And lean into your network—you never know which conversation will open the next door.”

Learn more about how to get involved with TeamWomen here.