Announcing the nominees for the 7th annual 40 Over 40 awards
Our hardworking judges are in the process of selecting 40 from this worthy group of 137
We’re excited to introduce you to an important and select group of Charlotte residents — the nominees of The Charlotte Ledger’s 2026 40 Over 40 Awards, presented by U.S. Bank!
These 137 people, all ages 40 and up, are bringing a host of backgrounds, skills and passions to communities all across Charlotte. They were nominated by their friends or peers as people who are making a difference and deserve to be recognized.
Our panel of independent judges, who were chosen for their wisdom and thoughtfulness, is now undertaking the weighty task of identifying 40 winners from this impressive group. Once the winners are selected, we will announce them in a special edition of the Ledger in late March, and we will honor them at an in-person event on April 23 at Project 658 near Plaza Midwood. It will be a fun celebration! Ticket information will be available soon.
The Ledger’s 40 Over 40 Awards is in its seventh year, and it has become one of Charlotte’s most anticipated annual awards programs. We believe in celebrating those who are using the wisdom, strength and experience they gained in their 20s and 30s and beyond to change their communities for the better. Age, after all, is a superpower!
We could not put on the 40 Over 40 Awards without the incredible support of our sponsors: U.S. Bank, Charlotte ToolBank and AC Creative Collective. Thank you to them! (If you or your company would like to be a sponsor of 40 Over 40, there’s still time! Click here and drop us a line.)
👏 And now, without further ado, here are our nominees:
CT Anderson — Founder and Creative Director, Springclean
Matt Anderson — Senior Vice President and Chief Physician Officer, Advocate Health (Atrium Health)
Jeff Anderson — Operations Manager, Real Estate Investor, Radio One Charlotte
Kristina Aquilone — Chief Development Officer, A Place To Live Again
Elena Areccos Bridgmon — CAO, LUMO
JoBrent Austin-Diehl — Founder and CEO, Infinity MedSpa and Wellness
Mike Barnes, PE — Principal/Regional Director, Thomas & Hutton
Oscar Barzuna Hidalgo — Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship and Business Analytics, Queens University
Kiesha Battles — Founder & Yoga Director, I Am Yoga (Charlotte)
Ryan Baucom — VP, Marketing & Communication, Swim Across America
Ike Belk — Co-Founder and Co-Owner, United States Performance Center
Doug Benson — Chief Administrative Officer & Chief Risk Officer, Foundation For The Carolinas
Kesia Berrios — Founder & CEO, ATG Systems & Strategy
Michael Blanco — President, Charlotte Economics Club
Michelle Boudin — Founder/Chief Storyteller, Embolden Creative
Chasity Boyce — Founder & CEO, Lomax Leadership Hub
Kim Brattain — CEO and Founder, Kim Brattain Media
Heidi Breeden — Artistic Director, RA Arts for All
Brandon Brezeale — Division Manager at City of Charlotte, The City of Charlotte
Val Brown — Chief Education and Strategic Partnership Officer, Levine Museum of the New South
Bo Caudill — Partner, Villmer Caudill, PLLC
Jada Charley — CEO, Crittenton of NC
Adrianne Chillemi — Partner, Parker Poe
Grant Coleman — Orthodontist, Hull and Coleman Orthodontics
Richard Cooper — President & CEO, Levine Museum of the New South
Shawn Cosner — Owner, Third Rock Events
Daniel Coston — Photographer, Daniel Coston Photography
Sloan Crawford — Co-Founder, Foster Parent, Foster Village Charlotte
Rosanny Crumpton — VP of Booking & Operations, Key Signature Entertainment|Weddings|Production
Jeremy Davids — Senior Account Executive, VISA
Adrienne Dellinger — Executive Director, Clayworks
Mitchell Demitruk — Founder & CEO, Super Cool HVAC
de’Angelo Dia — Director of Education and Community Engagement, The Independent Picture House
Shamieka Dixon — Medical Director; Division Chief, Adolescent Medicine, Teen Health Connection/Atrium Health
Dana Draa — Director of Outreach and Blind Services, Lions Services, Inc.
Patty Drummond — Executive Director, CREW Charlotte
Melanie Dunston — Accessibility and Outreach Administrative Assistant, Lions Services, Inc.
Shawna Dye Culik — CEO, Dye Culik
Tiffany Ehrenfried — Interim Financial Lead, Camino Community Development Corporation
Sean Eldridge — Co-Founder & CEO, ARISE Group Inc.
Jolaine Elien — Founder & Principal, Blueprint 4 Good
Pablo Espin — Vice President of HR, ScentAir Technologies LLC
Kibri Everett — Founder & Principal, Key Environmental Consulting
Kathryn Firmin-Sellers — President & CEO, United Way of Greater Charlotte
Morgan Fogarty — Lead Anchor, WCCB Charlotte
Mary Gallivan — Founder, Joyline Consulting
Nicole Gardner — Founder & Member, Gardner Skelton PLLC
Stacy Gatto — Executive Director, The Village on Morehead
Veronica Getz — Vice President, NC/GA Division Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine (PACS), Advocate Health (Atrium Health)
Eric Gibson — Founder, EJG Ventures
Susana Gonzalez — Senior Relationships Manager, United Way of Greater Charlotte
Aivel Gordils — CEO & Co-Founder, Gortin Group, LLC
Lori Gougeon — President/CEO, InReach Inc.
Dee Grano — Vice President of Public Relations, Kelso Communications
Rachel Guzman — Director, Regional Recruiting; President of WPNA, Allied Universal; Windsor Park Neighborhood Association
Melissa Hall — Executive Director, Fields of Hope
Denise Hammond — Owner/Director and Community Leader, My Farm Camps
Nicole Hanks — Co-Executive Director, Charlotte Angels
Carol Hardison — Chief Executive Officer, Crisis Assistance Ministry
Patrick Harmon — Medical Director, Providence Family Psychiatry
Greg Hatcher — Managing Partner, Hatcher Law Group
Vanessa Heiskell — Director, Strategy and Finance, Atrium Health and Concierge Care Division
Caleb Holloway — Attorney, Robinson Bradshaw
Ramona Holloway — Community Relations and Civic Engagement Director, The Mint Museum
Dr. Tamesha Hughes-Frazier — Executive Director, Hughes Elite Scholars Inc.
Turner Hull — Orthodontist, Hull and Coleman Orthodontics
Chris Jackson — Chief Executive Officer & President, Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont
Mollie James — Executive Director, Wayfinders
Greg Jarrell — Senior Campaign Organizer, The Redress Movement
Stephanie Jenson — PMO Director, JLL
Tiffany Johnson — Executive Managing Director and Market Leader, Colliers International
Nikcole (Nikki) Keith — Chief Executive Officer, Freedom School Partners, Inc.
Bo King — Chief, Capital Habeas Unit for the Fourth Circuit, Federal Public Defender
Eugene (Kip) Kiser — President, Owner, Kip Corporation
Judy La Pietra — Executive Director, The Stan Greenspon Holocaust Education Center
Hillary Lacouture — President, Wrathbone Marketing
David LaFranque — Owner/CEO, Franchise Owner of Smoothie King and i-9 Sports, Vice President for Habit for Humanity.
Collin Lane — Executive Vice President of Professional and Support Services, Advocate Health (Atrium Health, including The Pearl)
Terry Lansdell — Planning Commissioner/Director, BikeWalkNC
Jonathan Leake — Co-Owner, Derive Health
Jessica Lefkowitz — Founder and Executive Director, Hearts for the Invisible Charlotte Coalition
Veleria M. Levy — Founder & CEO, HerHealth Consulting LLC
Kelly R. Little — Founder and President, Urban Institute for Strengthening Families
Camille Maara — Co-Executive Director, Charlotte Angels
Shane Manier — Founder and Executive Director, Guerilla Poets
John Martin — Founder/CEO, Martin Sloan International (for-profit) & MSI Global Campus (nonprofit)
Erin McDermott — Owner, Erin McDermott Jewelry
Meg McElwain — Founder, Mitchell’s House
Lindsey McGee — Manager of Athlete Services; Founder, Novant Health Charlotte Marathon; Paws Social Club
Milton McGowian — Chief Operating Officer, The Sharon at SouthPark
Lavonne McLean — CEO, Apparo
Lizbeth Mercado Hernandez — HR Director, Compare Foods Charlotte
Niketa Mittal — Project Manager - Enterprise Resiliency Program, COO, Wells Fargo
Shanene Muldrow — Chief of Staff, Equitable
Michael Murphy — Realtor, Dickens Mitchener Residential Real Estate
Sushil Nepal — Planning Director, City of Gastonia, North Carolina
Samantha Nevins — Executive Director, Disability Rights and Resources
Lauren Newton — Partner, Tin Fulton Walker & Owen, PLLC
Jen Olin Lafontaine — Fractional COO/Certified Project Manager, Jen Olin Lafontaine Consulting
Chris Osborn — Attorney, Mediator, & Trained Collaborative Lawyer, Osborn Conflict Resolution
Dean Peroulas — CEO, Showmars
Kenney Potter — Artistic Director, Charlotte Master Chorale
Walter Price — Managing Director & Head of Public Affairs, Moore & Van Allen PLLC (MVA)
Nakisha Procope — Senior Development Consultant, Opera Carolina
Majid Qaiser — Sr Sourcing Consultant, Wells Fargo
Laura Renegar — Special Projects Director, Primax Properties
Angela Rigsbee — President and CEO, The Sharon at SouthPark
Rochelle Rivas — CEO & Co-Founder, Ember Group Consulting
Susan Rodriguez — U.S. District Court Judge, U.S. District Court
Malcolm Ross — MD-Gynecologic Oncologist, Novant Health
Jack Santaniello — Attorney at Law, Shumaker Law Firm
Steve Sawyer — Senior Vice President|Portfolio Management, US Bank
Gina Sheridan — Chief Communications and Advocacy Officer, Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority
Ron Skufca — Managing Attorney, Skufca Law PLLC
Trevor Slaven — Head of Multi-Asset Strategy & Allocation, Barings
Bernie Smith — Property Manager, Optimist Hall
Ketan Soni — Attorney and Mediator, Soni Brendle PLLC
Charles Stegall — President and Founder, The Stegall Group
Raquishela Stewart — Deputy Director of Housing and Neighborhood Services, City of Charlotte
Gina Stewart — Executive Director, VisArt Video
Ebony Stubbs — Owner and Photographer, Rae Images
Lance Tartt — Regional Director, Charlotte Branch Network, Truliant Federal Credit Union
Polly Taylor — Senior Vice President|Property Management, Flagship Healthcare Properties
Danyae Thomas — Director of Partnerships & Community Engagement, The Park Community Development Corporation
Jennifer Thompson — Commercial Engagement Manager, CLT Airport: City of Charlotte
Aleka Thrash — Public Information Specialist, City of Charlotte
Rick Thurmond — Chief Marketing Officer, Charlotte Center City Partners
Fred Tiess — Master Instructor, Johnson & Wales University
Jen Tota McGivney — Author, Self-employed
Jill Vande Woude — CEO and Partner, Your Farms Your Table Group/Restaurant Constance
Matt Villmer — Partner, Villmer Caudill PLLC
Eric Wellner — General Manager of Credit Cards, LendingTree
Emily Wheeler — CEO, Dress for Success Charlotte
Jacqueline White — Owner/Director, Open Door Studios
Christopher White — Chief Operations Officer, LIFESPAN, Inc.
Lisa Wicker — CEO, Career Mastered and Linwick & Associates
Sean Wilson — Martial Arts Instructor, Charlotte TaeKwonDo America
➡️ More information on 40 Over 40 here.
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