Former YouthLink Client Now Interim Executive Director

Sometimes life comes full circle. Following the recent retirement of Dr. Heather Huseby, the YouthLink Board of Directors named Michelle Basham, a former YouthLink client and longtime nonprofit executive, as its interim executive director. After leaving home at age 15, Basham was declared independent at 16 and took advantage of services YouthLink has provided for nearly five decades. “I remember coming to YouthLink back when it was in a building by Loring Park and was called the Minneapolis Youth Diversion Program,” she said. “I’ve watched the organization grow and change over the years and was excited when this opportunity came up.”

After graduating from South High School, Basham founded Avenues for Homeless Youth at age 19, which was the first shelter for homeless youth in Minneapolis and is still in existence today. “From my own experience, I recognized the issues of youth homelessness and unfortunately also saw a lot of denial about it,” Basham said. “I remember one of them looking me in the eye and saying, ‘Oh, kids don’t get sexually exploited – they can just go home.’ Well, that’s a great Sunnybrook Farm perspective to cling to but it’s just not reality.”

Basham holds an undergraduate degree in communications/organizational development, a graduate degree in public administration and a law degree. She has spent her career as a tireless advocate for youth experiencing homelessness, women’s rights and LGBTQ+ issues through many leadership positions at organizations including The Bridge for Youth, FamilyWise, CommonBond Communities and the YWCA of Minneapolis.

“As the YouthLink Board Chair, I am grateful we have retained Michelle to lead us through this critical interim phase,” said Steve Cramer, Minneapolis Downtown Council President/CEO. “YouthLink plays a critical role in the continuum of youth experiencing homelessness and we look forward to building on our success serving young people.” The YouthLink Board of Directors has retained local firm Cohen Taylor to lead the search for the next permanent leader of the organization.

So…what does an interim executive director do, exactly? “I do everything a permanent executive director does, just in a shorter timeframe,” said Basham. “I think this is a really critical time and I hope my experience will lend some stability and guidance for YouthLink during this critical time.”

Basham also serves as a part-time professor at the Mitchell Hamline School of Law in the Institute to Transform Child Protection where she teaches a class on youth homelessness and works on a project consultant basis for the City of Minneapolis, Community Planning and Economic Development Department.

In her spare time, she enjoys being at home with her fur babies – she has one rescue dog and two cats. “I adore animals and think having pets is very therapeutic, I don’t know what I’d do without them,” Basham said.