As a youth development educator, Carrie Eldridge provides program leadership to the entire 4-H youth development program, focusing on 4-H clubs and groups and youth education initiatives. Eldridge comes to Illinois 4-H with 19 years of education experience serving at Franklin-Williamson Bi-County Health as a health educator and most recently as director of health education. Over the past five years, Eldridge has served as the co-chair of the positive youth development action team. In her role, she helped promote positive youth development through prevention programs and services, networking and collaboration, and raising public awareness of resources devoted to the well-being of young people. A native of West Frankfort, Illinois, Eldridge received a bachelor's degree from Southern Illinois University and a master's degree from Southern Indiana University in health education.