City of South Bend announces new Director of Human Rights Commission

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The City of South Bend has announced Yolanda Young-Smith as the new Director of the Human Rights Commission.

Young-Smith comes to the position after having previously served as a Career Coach with Goodwill Industries and as the Director of Student Life, Leadership, and Development at Ivy Tech Community College.

“I am excited to join the team of the dynamic community leader and DEI advocate, Michael Patton,” said Young-Smith. “I embrace the quote, ‘Change Nothing and Nothing Changes,’ so I am ecstatic to work with the team to help the take Human Rights Commission to new heights and make it more robust.”

Young-Smith earned her Master’s Degree of Public Administration from Indiana Wesleyan University and is currently working towards a PhD in Leadership, Equity, and Inquiry from Illinois State University.

The South Bend Human Rights Commission is hosting a meet-and-greet with Young-Smith on December 17 from 4 to 5:30 p.m. at the Howard Park Event Center.