KENNESAW, Ga. | Jan 30, 2025

Forty exceptional alumni were named today to the Kennesaw State University (KSU) Alumni Association’s inaugural 40 Owls Under 40 class.

The new recognition program celebrates KSU and Southern Polytechnic State University (SPSU) alumni who are under 40 and making bold strides in their professions and their communities since graduation.

“The true measure of value for any university lies in the impact of its alumni,” said KSU President Kathy S. Schwaig. “This first class of 40 Owls Under 40 is filled with leaders, entrepreneurs, educators, civil servants, and innovators. We are proud to call them our own and know they will continue to have great impact through their work and service.”

With nearly half of KSU’s alumni under the age of 40, approximately 47,000 KSU and SPSU graduates were eligible for the 40 Owls Under 40 Class of 2025. The honorees were selected through a competitive nomination process, with candidates evaluated on their professional achievements, community involvement, and commitment to the university. Throughout Fall 2024, the KSU Alumni Association collected over 400 nominations.

“We are thrilled to introduce the inaugural class of honorees as a way to recognize our alumni under 40 who are making remarkable contributions in their communities, both in Georgia and around the country,” said Frances Beusse, executive director of the Office of Alumni and Constituent Engagement. “These graduates exemplify the strength and prominence of Kennesaw State and boldly serve as an inspiration to future generations of Owls.”

Representing a wide range of organizations, the class includes alumni from AT&T, NASA, Lockheed Martin, NBA Digital, and the U.S. Navy, among others. The 40 honorees include alumni from each of KSU's 11 colleges, 18 Georgia cities, six states, and the District of Columbia. Five of those selected graduated from SPSU.

The KSU Alumni Association 40 Owls Under 40 Class of 2025:

• Trent Anderson (BS ’12), president and chief operating officer, Southeast Restoration
• Martin Branick (BBA ’16), chief executive officer, USA Team Handball
• Michael Caldwell (BBA ’10), managing partner, Black Airplane and mayor, City of Woodstock
• Kashif Campbell (BS ’18), procurement engineer, Lockheed Martin
• Daniela Carvajalino (BBA ’16), chief executive officer, Biz Nation
• Michael B. Clark, II (BBA ’09, MBA ’13), financial services consultant
• Joe Corona (BS ’13), president, chief executive officer, and founder, Cornerstone Contracting Group, Inc.
• Jose Figueroa (BS ’12), attorney, U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration
• John Thomas Fricks (M.Ed. ’18, Ed.S. ’20), director of instructional technology, safety, and operations, Rome City Schools
• Tanner Griffin (BBA ’16, MS ’18, MBA ’20), data architect, NASA
• Hector Gutierrez (BA ’14, BA ’14), councilman, City of Forest Park
• Sarah Hesterman Hanzes (BS ’09), officer recruiter, U.S. Navy
• Eli Hogan (BBA ’18), associate, external investing group, Goldman Sachs
• Jenny Jang (BS ’09), senior manager of corporate relations and DE&I, TK Elevator
• Autumn Johnson (BS ’18), sports broadcaster, NCAA, Big Ten Network, ION WNBA and Atlanta Dream
• Eric Johnson (BS ’15), senior advisor, U.S. House of Representatives - Representative Barry Loudermilk
• Yasmine Jonaidi (BS ’13), senior systems engineer, AT&T
• Reginald King (BS ’09), associate director/producer, NBA Digital
• Evan Langfelder (BS ’19), founder and chief executive officer, Born Rebel Group
• Juan C. Mejia (BBA ’16), principal and managing broker, JCM Ventures
• Damla Meral (BS ’17, MBA ’24), channel director, Rubicon
• Martin Momtahan (BBA ’16), chief executive officer, West Metro Driving School and state representative, Georgia House of Representatives
• Kara Murray (BA ’16), communications director, Office of the Attorney General
• Muriam Nafees (BAS ’12, MBA ’21), collaboration manager, Gwinnett County Government
• Ashley Nealy (BS ’10, MS ’11), assistant director, support services, U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration
• Fortune E. Onwuzuruike (MS ’19), senior security manager, Microsoft
• Andrew Parker (BS ’10), city administrator, City of Dalton
• Michael D. Polacek (BS ’14), director of health and health education policy, Piedmont Healthcare
• Sarah Pope-Caldwell (BS ’11), assistant professor, Georgia State University
• Ben Rawson (BA ’16), lighting designer, Ben Rawson Design
• Ashlyn Remillard (BS ’09), director, global social, influencer and content strategy, Salesforce
• Jen Riley (Ph.D. ’21), senior lecturer of marketing, Vanderbilt University
• Katie Martin Rosser (BS ’09), high school history teacher, Cherokee County School District and owner, Katie Rosser Dream Vacations
• Lakeisha Sesay (MPA ’19), strategy consulting executive, public service industry, Accenture
• Katie Sizemore (BA ’11), Indo-Pacific portfolio manager, international affairs division, Federal Emergency Management Agency
• Emerald Smith (MS ’20), president, Emerald Consulting Group, LLC
• Ursula Spence (BS ’09), director of programs, Community Health Works, Inc.
• Jessica Wilson (BS ’13, BS ’13), hydropower environmental and technology project manager, water power technologies office, U.S. Department of Energy
• Jamila Mashavu Everine Young (BA ’09), assistant professor of health policy & law and executive director of equity, diversity and inclusion, Salem College and managing attorney, Moore & Young Legal Solutions
• Lili Zhang (Ph.D. ’20), senior artificial intelligence and machine learning engineer, Hewlett Packard Enterprise

The Class of 2025 will be honored at an awards luncheon on the Kennesaw Campus on March 21. Additional information on the program and this year’s honorees is available on the KSU Alumni 40 Owls Under 40 web page.

KSU Alumni 40 Owls Under 40

 

A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees to its more than 47,000 students. Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia with 11 academic colleges. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 7 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.