About Young Catholic Professionals
Young Catholic Professionals (YCP) is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit that calls, challenges, and accompanies Catholic young adults in their 20s and 30s to 'Work in Witness for Christ' in their careers and daily lives. Headquartered in Irving, Texas, within the Diocese of Dallas, it has grown from a single Dallas chapter founded in 2010 into the nation's largest community for young Catholic professionals, with 40+ chapters across the United States and a growing international footprint. The ministry blends Catholic formation, executive mentorship, and professional networking through monthly chapter events, a national conference, retreats, and a year-round Belong member portal.
Mission
To challenge, train, and inspire young adults working in various professions to Work in Witness for Christ — equipping them to take true ownership of their faith and work lives and to go forth as 'catalysts of personal excellence' and modern-day saints.
- Founded
- 2010
- Founder
- Jennifer Baugh
- Leader
- Peter Blute (Executive Director); Jennifer Baugh (Founder & Advisor)
- Reach
- 40+ chapters across the United States, with active chapters in cities including Atlanta, Austin, Birmingham, Boston, Central Connecticut, Charlotte, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Colorado Springs, Columbus, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Fairfield County, Fort Worth, Greenville, Houston, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Kansas City, Knoxville, Los Angeles, Louisville, Memphis, Nashville, New Orleans, New York, Omaha, Orange County, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Portland, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, St. Louis, Susquehanna Valley, Tampa/St. Pete, Toledo, Washington D.C., and more. International presence noted in Guatemala and Mexico. Headquarters in Irving, TX.
- Serves
- Catholic young professionals in their 20s and 30s, supported by an inter-generational network of Catholic executives, priests, religious, and mentors.
Mission and Vision
YCP's stated mission is to challenge, train, and inspire young adults working in various professions to 'Work in Witness for Christ.' The organization frames its work around the idea that the modern workplace is a primary mission field and that young Catholic professionals are called to integrate their faith with their careers, becoming what YCP calls 'modern-day saints.' Its three-fold path is articulated on the website as 'Witness,' 'Mission,' and 'Grow': join with like-minded, mission-driven peers in their 20s and 30s; grow skills and share the faith in every aspect of life; and serve as catalysts of personal excellence for everyone they meet. The vision is to be the leading U.S. organization that helps young professionals center both their careers and their lives around their Catholic identity.
- Mission: Challenge, train, and inspire young adults to Work in Witness for Christ
- Three pillars: Witness, Mission, Grow
- Goal: 'Help form modern-day saints' through faith-in-work integration
Founding Story (2010)
Jennifer Baugh founded YCP in 2010 in the Diocese of Dallas at age 24, after finishing her MBA at Texas A&M summa cum laude. The eight months between business school and her start date as a financial consultant at FTI Consulting became a period of intense personal conversion; she returned to regular Mass and to a personal relationship with Christ, then quit her finance career to grow the ministry full-time. Bishop Kevin Farrell of Dallas publicly endorsed YCP's slogan 'Working in Witness for Christ,' and the Dallas chapter quickly grew to host monthly events that drew more than 150 young professionals each. That local traction sparked national demand, and over the next 14 years YCP expanded into more than 40 U.S. cities with the support of local bishops, priests, and Catholic executives.
- Founder: Jennifer Baugh, MBA Texas A&M, former Merrill Lynch / FTI Consulting
- Headquarters established in the Diocese of Dallas
- Originally called the YCP 'ministry' before being incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN 45-0659049)
Core Programs and Events
YCP chapters run a recurring set of free 'core programs' that introduce newcomers to the community. The Executive Speaker Series is a free monthly evening event featuring a Catholic executive sharing a faith-and-career talk, with complimentary drinks and appetizers and time for Q&A. Executive Panel Discussions bring together a diverse panel to dive into a single virtue and apply it to everyday professional life. St. Joseph Saturdays are half-day retreats including Mass, Confession, Eucharistic Adoration, and guided conversation. Networking Happy Hours rotate around local restaurants and bars and are designed for low-pressure introductions. Members additionally gain access to the Belong portal, the 'spiritual hotline,' peer forums, executive mentorship, the annual National Conference, and Wilderness Retreats such as the one held at St. Benedict Lodge in McKenzie Bridge, Oregon.
- Executive Speaker Series (free, monthly)
- Executive Panel Discussions (virtue-based)
- St. Joseph Saturdays (half-day retreat)
- Networking Happy Hours
- Belong member portal with forums and spiritual hotline
- Wilderness Retreats (e.g., St. Benedict Lodge, Oregon)
Annual National Conference
The YCP National Conference is the organization's flagship annual gathering and has been described as the largest gathering of Catholic professionals in the United States. The 2025 conference, themed 'Verso L'Alto: Ascend with Hope' and inspired by Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, was held in Frisco, TX and drew more than 600 young professionals, clergy, religious, and Catholic executives from 35 U.S. states and 5 countries, along with 80+ mentors and 25+ priests and religious. The 2026 conference, themed 'Unshakable: A Samurai's Path to Sainthood' and inspired by Blessed Takayama Ukon, is scheduled for April 10–12, 2026 at the Dallas/Plano Marriott at Legacy Town Center. The weekend typically includes a leadership summit for chapter leaders, a pre-conference business workshop, daily Mass, adoration, confession, rosary, keynotes, mentoring sessions, breakout workshops, regional dinners, a faith-based speed-dating event for singles, a Meet the Religious happy hour, and a black-tie gala.
- 2025 Conference: Frisco, TX — 600+ attendees, 35 states, 5 countries, 80+ mentors
- 2026 Conference: 'Unshakable' at Dallas/Plano Marriott at Legacy Town Center, April 10–12, 2026
- 2025 Patron: Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati; 2026: Blessed Takayama Ukon
- Featured speakers have included Dale Carnegie CEO Joe Hart, Sr. Mary Faustina, Justin Fatica, and Bishop Edward J. Burns
Patron: St. Joseph
St. Joseph is the patron saint of YCP and is honored through a weekly telephone prayer to St. Joseph — referred to by members as the 'spiritual hotline' — as well as through the recurring 'St. Joseph Saturdays' half-day retreats that pair professional growth with the spiritual disciplines of Mass, Confession, and Eucharistic Adoration. CatholicPhilly has noted that the weekly prayer to St. Joseph, the group's patron, is a distinctive element of the apostolate.
- Weekly St. Joseph telephone prayer ('spiritual hotline')
- St. Joseph Saturday retreats (Mass, Confession, Adoration)
Chapters Across the United States
YCP operates more than 40 city and regional chapters nationwide, each led by a volunteer president, board, and chaplain, and supported by the national staff. Active chapter locations include Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Birmingham, Boston, Central Connecticut, Charlotte, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Colorado Springs, Columbus, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Fairfield County, Fort Worth, Greenville, Houston, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Kansas City, Knoxville, Los Angeles, Louisville, Memphis, Nashville, New Orleans, New York City, North New Jersey, Omaha, Orange County, Orlando, Palm Beach, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Portland, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Silicon Valley, South Central Pennsylvania, St. Louis, Susquehanna Valley, Tampa/St. Pete, Toledo, and Washington D.C. Two recent additions are YCP Greater Cincinnati (launched October 8, 2022 with an opening Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption) and YCP New York City. The Philadelphia chapter was launched in August 2021 with a Mass at the National Shrine of St. John Neumann celebrated by Archbishop Nelson Pérez.
- 40+ active U.S. chapters as of 2024
- Each chapter is led by a local president and chaplain and supported by a volunteer board
- YCP supplies chapters with a 'Start-Up Package,' custom templates, photo guides, and ongoing training
- International growth noted in Guatemala and Mexico
Leadership and Governance
Jennifer Baugh, who founded YCP in 2010 and previously worked at Merrill Lynch and FTI Consulting, now serves as Founder & Advisor after stepping back from day-to-day operations. Peter Blute, a University of Dallas English graduate and YCP's second full-time employee (since 2014), was named Executive Director in May 2024. The national Board of Directors is composed of senior Catholic executives, including named members Marie Quintana, Dina Dwyer-Owens, and Marla Mock. Each local chapter is overseen by a chapter board, a president, and a chaplain — for example, the YCP Philadelphia chapter is led by President Kasey Brown with Father Christopher Redcay, pastor of St. Patrick Parish in Malvern, as chaplain. National staff in Irving, TX support the local boards with training, event templates, and centralized communications.
- Founder & Advisor: Jennifer Baugh (Trinity University B.S., Texas A&M MBA)
- Executive Director: Peter Blute (University of Dallas, 2011; with YCP since 2014, ED since May 2024)
- Board of Directors: Marie Quintana, Dina Dwyer-Owens, Marla Mock, and other Catholic executives
- Each chapter has its own president, board, and chaplain priest
Spiritual Formation and Sacraments
Faith formation is woven into every YCP gathering. St. Joseph Saturdays include Mass, Confession, and Eucharistic Adoration, while the National Conference offers daily Mass, adoration, confession, rosary, and spiritual reflections from priests and religious. A 'Meet the Religious' happy hour at the conference lets attendees encounter vocations in person, and the 2025 conference hosted 25+ priests and religious available for spiritual direction. YCP's mission is intentionally 'catechetical': as Bishop Farrell put it, 'By incorporating Church teaching into all of YCP's various programs, members are catechized and motivated to share the Gospel at home and in the workplace.' The apostolate is endorsed by bishops including Bishop Kevin Farrell (Dallas), Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted (Phoenix), Bishop Timothy C. Senior (Harrisburg), Archbishop Nelson Pérez (Philadelphia), and Bishop Edward J. Burns (who closed the 2025 conference with Mass).
- Mass, Confession, and Adoration at retreats and the National Conference
- Weekly St. Joseph prayer line
- Endorsed by multiple U.S. diocesan bishops
Membership: The Belong Portal
After attending a free local event, members can join YCP's 'Belong' member portal. Belong gives access to peer advisory forums, executive mentorship, the spiritual hotline, the virtual micro-interview series with Catholic business leaders, discounts to the National Conference, and member-only community groups used at the conference to coordinate ride-shares and small-group discussion. The portal is the digital backbone of the community between in-person events.
- Forums (peer advisory groups)
- Executive mentorship matching
- Spiritual hotline
- Conference discounts and ride-share coordination
Donations and Sponsorship
YCP is funded by individual donations, chapter boards, foundation grants, and corporate sponsorships. Donations are tax-deductible (EIN 45-0659049). Notable examples include a $25,000 grant from the Catholic Foundation of Greater Philadelphia to seed the Philadelphia chapter in 2021, and the National Conference's sponsor track, which offers businesses a way to engage Catholic young professionals while featuring the organization at the conference. YCP has grown to a national staff of roughly 44 people with an annual operating budget reported around $4.1M.
- 501(c)(3); EIN 45-0659049
- Online giving at youngcatholicprofessionals.org/donate
- Conference sponsorship opportunities available
- National staff of ~44; annual budget reported ~$4.1M
Start a Chapter in Your City
YCP actively recruits new cities and provides a structured 'Start-Up Package' that walks a local team through launching a chapter, including templates, photo guides, training, technical support, and connections to area Catholic business leaders, priests, religious, and the diocesan bishop. Cities interested in launching a chapter can email the national staff and schedule an initial video call to cast the vision together. The expansion model is intended to preserve 'integrity of mission and faithfulness to Church teaching' as YCP grows.
- Step-by-step start-up process
- Templates, photo guides, and training included
- Ongoing staff support for chapter leaders
