My Story | My YPAL – Nyree Crawford

By Molly Jett Heim, YPAL Director of Communications

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Mar. 27, 2026) — For many, Louisville is home, but returning after years away can feel like starting from scratch. 

When Nyree Crawford moved back to Jefferson County in 2022, she realized her local network had faded. She knew she needed to find a community of young adults—and that’s exactly what she found in YPAL.

“It [YPAL] has made me a better person, a better employee,” Crawford said.

After returning to Louisville, Nyree was also looking to pivot from a remote customer service role into a career that utilized her accounting degree. She found her fit at Stored Value Solutions (SVS), a local company she credits with giving her a true “chance” in the field.

“Trying to find an entry-level job with no experience is a struggle,” Crawford explains. “But SVS gave me that chance, and I’ve been working in accounting with them for the last two and a half years.”

The connection meant even more when Crawford’s co-worker told her SVS is a YPAL sponsor. For her, seeing her employer invest in young talent is a point of pride.

“It shows the company is still willing to look for and hire younger talent. It’s cool to see them investing in people and looking for fresh faces to keep the company running,” Crawford said.

Though she didn’t initially see herself as a “leader” in a formal sense, Crawford decided to dive into the Emerging Leaders Program (ELP) in the Fall of 2025. She entered the program with an open mind, looking to add tools to her professional toolbox for what she calls “leadership moments”—those times at work when you are called upon to train a colleague or step up for the team.

She says the impact was immediate. During a group project that faced some unexpected conflict, Crawford said she realized just how much she had grown.

“I could tell that if this would have happened a year before, I would have reacted completely different,” she said. “I was able to see my growth in action.”

Crawford’s journey with YPAL has been about more than just professional development; it’s been about reclaiming her place in her hometown.

“YPAL has been really good to me,” she said. “It has put me in rooms with people I would have never met on my own. It gives me the confidence that I can do it, and that I can be in these places. It’s a sense of belonging and community.”

Her advice for those considering the next ELP cohort? Just do it.

“Wherever you are in your leadership journey—whether you have no experience or you own your own company—there is a takeaway for everyone,” Crawford said.