UGA Alumni Association unveils 2022 Class of 40 Under 40

The University of Georgia Alumni Association has unveiled the 40 Under 40 Class of 2022. This program celebrates the personal, professional and philanthropic achievements of successful UGA graduates under the age of 40. The honorees will be recognized during the 12th annual 40 Under 40 Awards Luncheon Sept. 9 in the Tate Student Center on campus.

This year’s outstanding group of young alumni includes three Emmy winners, a NASA navigation and control discipline expert, a Twitter head of U.S. policy, an NBC Today Show producer and a Marvel Studios screenwriter.

“We are excited to unveil this year’s class of 40 Under 40 and celebrate their many accomplishments in Athens this September,” said Meredith Gurley Johnson, executive director of alumni relations. “These young alumni exemplify leadership in their communities and industries across the country. I continue to be amazed by their accomplishments.”

Nominations for 40 Under 40 were open from February to April, and more than 600 nominations were received. Honorees must have attended UGA and uphold the Pillars of the Arch, which are wisdom, justice and moderation. Additional criteria are available on the UGA Alumni website.

“From movie sets to medical facilities, this year’s class of alumni uphold the Pillars of the Arch and the spirit of UGA across all sectors,” said Johnson. “Early in their careers, these graduates are leaders in solving some of the greatest challenges we face. We are exceptionally proud and cannot wait to welcome them back home to Athens.”

The 2022 Class of 40 Under 40, including their graduation year(s) from UGA, city, title and employer, are:

AdeSubomi O. Adeyemo (BS ’11, PharmD ’15, MPH ’16) Stone Mountain, Georgia; epidemic intelligence service officer, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Maria Augutis (BS ’14, MA ’15) Stockholm, Sweden; meteorologist, Swedish Television & StormGeo
Latasha V. Barnes (AB ’05, AB ’05) Atlanta; owner and managing attorney; The Barnes Law Office, LLC
Maranie Brown (BSFCS ’12) Smyrna, Georgia; vice president, BlackRock
Nathan Bruno (BBA ’09) Spring, Texas; executive vice president of sales and commercial excellence, Mattress Firm
Lael Chappell (BBA ’06) New York, New York; director of insurance distribution, Coalition
Kayla E. Cooper (AB ’05, JD ’08) Augusta, Georgia; senior staff attorney, City of Augusta
Emily Curl (ABJ ’14) New York, New York; digital and social host, iHeartRadio
Candace Alynn Hill Duvernay (AB ’06, JD ’09) Jonesboro, Georgia; managing partner, Hill Duvernay and Associates, LLC
Dustin Dyer (BSAE ’06) Merritt Island, Florida; GN&C discipline expert, NASA
Christina L. Faust (BS ’09, MS ’09) Glasgow, Scotland; research fellow, University of Glasgow
Kevin Florence (PHARMD ’09) Athens, Georgia; pharmacist and owner, ADD Drug Store
Matthew Scott Fowler (AB ’14) Woodstock, Georgia; relationship management executive, REPAY – Realtime Electronic Payments
Jake Goodman (BSA ’15, MBA ’20) Miami, Florida; psychiatry resident doctor, Jake Goodman MD
Lauren Culbertson Grieco (ABJ ’09) Washington, D.C.; head of U.S. public policy, Twitter
Kristen Henderson (BBA ’11) Atlanta; vice president, Goldman Sachs
Shayla Hill (BBA ’08) Tucker, Georgia; senior design program manager, MongoDB
Christie Johnson (ABJ ’07) Chapin, South Carolina; director of White House bookings, CNN
Kenneth L. Johnson, Jr. (BSED ’05) Atlanta; co-director of the Governor’s School Leadership Academy, Governor’s Office of Student Achievement
Leo Chris Kasuya (BBA ’14) Marina Del Rey, California; director, strategy and new ventures, office of CEO, Irresistible Foods Group
Samaad Wes Keys (PHD ’14) Decatur, Georgia; program officer, postsecondary success Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
Min Y. Lee (BBA ’06) Charlottesville, Virginia; chief operating officer, University of Virginia Medical Center
Charlotte Lucas (BSFCS ’05) Charlotte, North Carolina; owner and principal designer, Charlotte Lucas Design
Brandon Martin (BBA ’14) Atlanta; founder and CEO, Close Ties Leadership Program
Mia Catharine Mattioli (BSBE ’08) Atlanta; environmental engineer, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Joel L. McKie (BSA ’05, JD ’08) Atlanta; partner, Hall Booth Smith., P.C.
Drew McKown (BS ’07) Athens, Georgia; physician, Athens Pulmonary
Juan J. Mencias (BBA ’15) Atlanta; chief financial officer, Georgia Diamond Corporation, Ascot Diamonds
Chad Mumm (ABJ ’08) Studio City, California; chief creative officer, Vox Media Studios, Vox Media Inc.
Brendan F. Murphy (AB ’05, AB ’05, JD ’08) Marietta, Georgia; chief magistrate judge, Magistrate Court of Cobb County
ValaRae Partee (BSENVE ’14) Atlanta; associate environmental engineer, Brown and Caldwell
Andrew Rasmussen (BBA ’05, MED ’09) Athens, Georgia; owner and advisor, Rasmussen Wealth Management
Anna Daniel Reddish (BSA ’08, MADS ’09) Atlanta; university relations liaison, IDEXX
John Rossow (BSFR ’12, MPH ’17, DVM ’18) Atlanta; public health veterinarian, U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention
Rachel Santos (BSA ’10) Bishop, Georgia; director of sales and industry relations, Premium Peanut
Kevin Schatell (ABJ ’16) New York, New York; producer, NBC’s TODAY Show
Johnelle Simpson II (AB ’16, BBA ’16) Athens, Georgia; attorney, Fortson, Bentley, and Griffin, P.A.
Alton M. Standifer (PHD ’21) Athens, Georgia; deputy chief of staff, University of Georgia
Grant Thomas (AB ’15, MBA ’20) Sandy Springs, Georgia; director, Governor’s Office of Health Strategy and Coordination
Michael Waldron (ABJ ’10) Atlanta; screenwriter, Disney, Marvel Studios and STARZ