Chris Young is a consultant, author, and public speaker. Raised in Clarksville, Tennessee, he came of age in a community shaped by severe poverty, instability, and limited opportunity. Choices he made in that context later led to his involvement with the criminal legal system. Sentenced to life in prison under outdated federal drug laws, Chris spent more than a decade incarcerated, where he read extensively, dedicating himself to study and self-development. In 2021, he was granted executive clemency. Since his release, Chris has earned a degree in economics and public policy from Southern Methodist University and founded Coherence Consulting, a firm that uses data, policy analysis, and lived experience to reimagine how institutions invest in human potential. Chris’s story and insights have been featured across national media platforms, where he speaks not only about incarceration and reform, but about agency, resilience, and the power of the mind. The Wound Is Where the Light Enters: A Memoir of Resilience is his first book.
