February 1, 2021
PRESS RELEASE
For immediate release
Indy’s Best and Brightest Finalists Selected
Winners to be announced during the virtual awards program on Thursday, March 11, 2021
[Indianapolis, IN] Junior Achievement of Central Indiana announces its finalists for the 17th annual Indy’s Best and Brightest event presented by KPMG LLP. The event honors 100 of central Indiana’s most outstanding young professionals, age 40 and under, in 10 different industries. A virtual awards program to recognize these outstanding young professionals will take place on Thursday, March 11, 2021. All 100 finalists will be recognized and the winners in each category will be announced. Approximately 600 people are expected to log in view this event.
“KPMG is proud to serve as the presenting sponsor for this noteworthy event for the 17th consecutive year. We understand the importance of honoring these young professionals, who also serve as outstanding role models and mentors for the youth of our community and will make sure they are honored with the same enthusiasm virtually,” said Mark Shaffer, MidAmerica Partner in Charge, Audit of KPMG LLP.
The Best and Brightest event was created by Junior Achievement to recognize up and coming talent and the next generation of leaders in our community. Finalists in each category are judged on professional accomplishments, civic contributions, character, and leadership qualities. The finalists to be honored at the event are listed below, as well as on the Junior Achievement website: www.indysbestandbrightest.org.
The categories honored are: Accounting; Banking & Financial Services; Education & Nonprofit; Government; Health & Life Sciences; Law; Manufacturing, Retail & Services; Media, Entertainment & Sports; Real Estate, Development & Construction; and Technology. Sponsorship opportunities are currently available; please contact Kacy Wendling at Kacy@jaindy.org or 252-5900 ext. 8. Proceeds from Indy’s Best and Brightest benefit Junior Achievement of Central Indiana, Inc.
To register to attend the event please visit our website at www.indysbestandbrightest.org
About Junior Achievement of Central Indiana
Junior Achievement of Central Indiana, Inc. (JACI), in partnership with the business and education communities, empowers young people to own their future success. JA educates and inspires young people in the areas of career exploration, employability/life skills, entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and philanthropy through hands-on, experiential learning opportunities for children in preschool through high school.
2021 Indy’s Best and Brightest Finalists
Accounting
Kylie Cunningham, Crowe LLP
Chaleise Fleming, CPA, CFE, Greenwalt CPAs, Inc.
Sharease Flores, Emarsys
Bud Graessle, OneAmerica Financial Partners
Justin Hayes, Katz, Sapper & Miller
Michael Jamison, CPA, CGMA, OnTarget CPA
Keely Mitchell, Republic Airways
Amy Northard, Amy Northard, CPA
Nickie Redick, BKD CPAs and Advisors
Max S. Woodbury III, EA, Woodbury Group, LLC
Banking & Financial Services
Mark Bower, MJ Insurance
Celia Campbell, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
Jamar Cobb-Dennard, J.D., Indiana Business Advisors, LLC
Rebecca Fiscus, Indianapolis Airport Authority
Tony Kaufman, First Merchants Bank
Sarah Mahaffa, CFP, Bedel Financial Consulting, Inc.
Molly Mclver, Capital Group
Mark Minner, First Person
Brian Sullivan, Merchants Capital
Nicole Woodson, Regions Bank
Education & Nonprofit
Amrou Awaysheh, Kelley School of Business, Indiana University
Samantha Burke, Pass the Torch for Women Foundation
Al Carroll, TechPoint
Aleanya Moore, Ladies Under Construction Inc.
Candace Pate, Martin University
Betsy Revell, EmployIndy
Ashley Scott, Indianapolis Public Schools
Joe White, The Mind Trust
Amanda Wright, Marian University
Frederick Yeakey, Providence Cristo Rey High School
Government
Brittany Collins, Indiana Commission for Higher Education
Ashley Craig, Crowe LLP
Devon Davis, Bose Public Affairs Group
Kavita Mahoney, Indy Parks – City of Indianapolis
Timothy McFarlane, Indiana Family and Social Services Administration
Janelle O’Malley, Indiana Supreme Court – Office of Judicial Administration
Josh Richardson, Indiana Department of Workforce Development
Blake Roebuck, Indy Chamber
Ronnie Saunders III, Indianapolis Fire Department
Ben Tooley, Indiana House of Representatives
Health & Life Science
Kamal Adulebda, MD, Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University Health and Indiana University School of Medicine
Cynthia Bennett, Roche Diagnostics Corporation
Andrea Kessler, Indiana University Health
Terri Lee, Indiana State Department of Health
Vanessa Lucas, Community Health Network
Charles McKinney Jr., Eli Lilly & Company
Sarah Michaels, Apex Benefits
Jessica Parks, MBA, CCHW, Managed Health Services
Reed Richardson, hc1
Nicholas Schellinger, Medical Structures
Law
Hilary Barnes, Hotel Tango Distillery
Addison Bradford, Hall, Render, Killian, Heath & Lyman, P.C.
Colin E. Connor, Plews Shadley Racher & Braun LLP
Kimberly Jewell, Jewell Law Office, LLC
Melissa Macchia, Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP
Stephanie V. McGowan, Frost Brown Todd
Sabra Northam, Barnes & Thornburg LLP
Maurice R. Scott, Scott Legal & Consulting
Aaron J. Williamson, Williamson Civil Law, LLC
Mark Wohlford, Bose McKinney & Evans LLP
Manufacturing, Retail & Services
Dan Abeln, ADT (formally DEFENDERS)
Joseph Almazni, Roche
Latoya Draughon, Beckman Coulter Life Sciences
Marcus Hall, California Closets
Jason Jackson, Miebach Consulting
Kelli Jones, Be Nimble Foundation & Sixty8 Capital
Charles D. Knott Sr., Brenntag Mid-South
Kurt Mink, Cork Medical
Brodie Sears, Goodwill of Central and Southern Indiana
Christina Zerfas, Amazon.com
Media, Entertainment & Sports
Duchess Adjei, Beckman Coulter Life Sciences
Spencer Anderson, Pacers Sports & Entertainment
Tanorria Askew, Tanorria’s Table
Kathryn Bobel, Indianapolis Indians
Megan Carrico, Indianapolis Airport
Stephanie Pemberton, Indianapolis Colts
Pete Seat, Bose Public Affairs Group
Anna Skinner, Current Publishing
Leticia Sullivan, Pacers Sports & Entertainment
Muhammad Yasin, PERQ
Real Estate, Development & Construction
Quan Cork, Grand Realty
Mitch Doner, RESOURCE Commercial Real Estate (now Bradley Company)
Jamison Downs, Veritas Realty
Aletha Dunston, Fort Harrison Reuse Authority
Shane Hageman, Hageman Group
Jordan Hollingsworth, Safety Management Group
Ross Nixon, American Structurepoint
Mike Scott, Scott Estates
Jason Speckman, SIOR, MBA, Colliers International
Anthony White, Pepper Construction
Technology
Rebecca Bormann, Bell Techlogix
Matt Dillon, Reciprocal Technologies
Lauren Gaudion, Republic Airways
Sara Jones, netlogx LLC
Lindsay McGuire, Formstack
Alicia E. Mckoy, Peak Mind LLC
Delano Robinson, Eli Lilly and Company
Jack Shepler, Ayokay
Nick Smarrelli, GadelNet Consulting Services
Lujia Zhang, KSM Consulting
