Since 1994, YouthLaunch has helped thousands of students develop critically needed skills and serve their communities.
Our Mission:
YouthLaunch empowers young people to lead, learn and uplift one another through peer mentorship — building the relationships, skills, and confidence that carry students into adult life and shape stronger schools and communities.
Our Vision:
The work of YouthLaunch enables cross-age peer mentorship to become a defining force in how young people grow — building a generation equipped to lead, uplift one another, serve, and shape stronger schools, campuses, and communities through skilled and reciprocal relationships.
Our Team
Executive Director klockhart@youthlaunch.org
KIPP Program Consultant jill.kolasinski@utexas.edu
AISD Program Consultant jross@youthlaunch.org
Board of Directors
William Herndon
Chair
Minnie Hollyman
Vice Chair
Stuart Block
Treasurer
Adelaide Escott
Secretary
Grant Thomas
Founder & Chair Emeritus
Valerie Granoff
Mary Beer
Stacia Bowley
Ellie Lochridge
Our Story
YouthLaunch was founded in 1994, under the name Peer Assistance Network of America (PAN-America). Its founding was inspired by the success of the PAL (Peer Assistance Leadership) Program, a peer mentoring program that began at one Austin high school in 1980 and is now being implemented by hundreds of school districts throughout Texas and beyond.
In 2004, the organization was renamed YouthLaunch, reflecting the expanded scope of its work. Since its founding, the organization has initiated and participated in a wide variety of noteworthy programs and partnerships that empower youth through service.
In 2026, YouthLaunch updated its mission and vision to focus on peer-to-peer mentorship programs, highlighting the importance of providing training, transportation, and technical assistance for older students to mentor younger students in the greater Austin area.
Read about our legacy programs here.