Don Shipley | Creative Director, Toronto Pan American Games
“Young is a unique individual who is not only devoted to the pursuit of excellence but also possesses an uncanny ability to create, coordinate, and execute at the highest level. His attention to detail is unique... and his belief in the project was returned tenfold. YOUNG WORLD FACES is a bold and transformational activation that remains one of the great legacies of the Toronto Pan American Games cultural celebrations.”
Strategic Context:
Executive oversight of a $125,000 activation for the PANAMANIA festival commissioned by the Toronto Pan American Games Organizing Committee, as part of the $2.4 billon dollar international sporting event, the largest in Canada's history to date. Responsibilities included the procurement of national headquarters space at CIBC, management of 41 international stakeholders, the coordination of high-stakes vendor logistics, the production and procurement of physical and digital assets, the coordination across internal creative and marketing departments, and the delivery of a legacy cultural project on an aggressive timeline that exceeded expectations of local resonance and global impact.
Stephen M. Ross | Owner, The Related Companies & The Miami Dolphins
“Young is a visionary whose seemingly boundless ingenuity is only matched by his passion for the creative process. The works he created captured the excitement of the games, the players, the fans, and the global community that all came together for a truly memorable event in Miami, and we were thrilled to be able to share his works with the world.”
Strategic Context:
Strategic creative partnership for El Clásico Miami, a landmark international engagement serving as the premier showcase for the $500 million modernization of Hard Rock Stadium. This initiative was a cornerstone of the venue’s multi-year strategy in preparation for NFL Super Bowl LIV and served as a high-stakes proof-of-concept for South Florida’s global football ambitions. Responsibilities included the creative development and onsite installation of stadium-scale visual assets that immortalized the world’s top football clubs for a live audience of 66,000+ spectators. The cultural impact and operational success of this activation were influential in the region’s successful acquisition of Lionel Messi to play in the MLS, cementing Miami as the unofficial capital of global soccer.
Her Honour Elizabeth Dowdeswell | Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, Representative of His Majesty The King of England
“Art matters – in our everyday lives, in our society, and in our hearts and minds... Young’s arresting activation, YOUNG WORLD FACES, holds up a mirror to us reflecting an interdependent global world. Through these Faces, we see vulnerability and triumph – the power of the human spirit. They inspire and nourish the soul.”
Strategic Context:
Strategic creative direction for a private cultural commission within the Queen's Park Offices of the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. Following a personal commission by Her Honour, the Face of Canada was installed within the Vice-Regal Suite at Queen’s Park, serving as the visual backdrop for high-level diplomatic meetings with foreign dignitaries and diplomats. The work was honorably curated within the Hall of Portraits—alongside the portraits of the Monarchy—symbolizing a modern bridge between traditional heritage and global citizenship. Young was subsequently recognized as one of 150 influential Canadians in Her Honour’s curated publication celebrating the province and Nation's 150th Year of Confederation, with his work selected as the defining closing image of the commemorative volume.
Additional endorsements from the likes of the executives at CIBC, National Geographic, The New Yorker, and many more are also available upon request.