This post was originally published by Inside Indiana Business. Click here to read the original article.

INDIANAPOLIS – Junior Achievement of Central Indiana this week announced the finalists for the 2026 Indy’s Best and Brightest event. The program honors 100 of “central Indiana’s most outstanding young professionals in 10 different industries.”

Ten finalists were chosen among 10 categories. Junior Achievement said each finalist is judged on professional accomplishments, civic contributions, character, and leadership qualities.

The categories are Accounting; Banking & Financial Services; Education & Nonprofit; Government, Tourism, & Arts; Health & Life Sciences; Law; Manufacturing, Retail & Services; Media, Entertainment & Sports; Real Estate, Development & Construction; and Technology.

“These dynamic and forward-thinking leaders are driving positive change in central Indiana, and they continue to serve as inspiration for the thousands of young people engaged in Junior Achievement programs,” Jennifer Burk, CEO of Junior Achievement of Central Indiana, said in a news release.

All 100 finalists will receive an award and the winners of each category will be announced at a ceremony on April 22 at the Fishers Event Center.

This year’s finalists for Indy’s Best and Brightest are:

Accounting

  • Bob Akin, CPA, Senior Tax Manager, CBIZ
  • Darion Harris, Senior Manager, PwC
  • Bailey Martenson, Manager, Sikich
  • Amy Northard, CPA, Founder and CEO, The Accountants for Creatives
  • Ben Irwin, Audit & Assurance Services, KSM
  • Riley Shives, Vice President of Finance, The Garrett Companies
  • Emilee Smith, CPA, Partner, London Witte LLP
  • Justin Verbeten, CPA, Partner, Forvis Mazars LLP
  • Kevin Wittmeyer, CPA, Partner, Slattery & Holman P.C.
  • Esperanza Wynn, Advisor- Manufacturing Finance, Elanco Animal Health

Banking & Financial Services

  • Joshua Daugherty, Vice President, Huntington Private Bank
  • Shannon Furlin, Commercial Banker, JPMorganChase
  • Moussa Ibrahim, Financial Empowerment & Community Development Officer, Old National Bank
  • Darrick Jones, VP GCB Middle Market Relationship Manager, Bank of America
  • Mike London, Chief of Account + Credit Operations, Everwise Credit Union
  • Ariana Meiser, Market President, Merchants Bank
  • Sara Robison, Retirement Plan Manager, Capital Group
  • Dan Rojas, Principal Wealth Advisor, Cerity Partners
  • Adam Shaffer, Principal, Centerfield Capital Partners
  • Xiao Ou Yuan, President, Hageman Capital

Education & Nonprofit

  • John Brady, Middle Division Head, St. Richard’s Episcopal School
  • Martha V. Cortes, Chief Partnerships Officer, KIPP Indy Public Schools
  • Morgan Ellis, Development Director, Camptown
  • C. Daniel Graham (Cory), Co-Founder & Executive Director, InerG Impact
  • LaShatá M. Grayson, Director of Training and Growth, Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity, International
  • Tradara McLaurine, Senior Executive Director of Campus Career and Advising Services, IU Indianapolis
  • Veronica Onofrey, Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations, Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana
  • Roya Porter, Senior Corporate Counsel, Strada Education Foundation
  • Allison Segarra Hansen, Professor of Education, Marian University & Founder & CEO, Multilingual Education Reform Collective of Indianapolis (MERCIndy),
  • Mike Thibideau, President & CEO, Invest Hamilton County

Government, Tourism, & Arts

  • Alexandra Casati, Senior Director of Engagement and Analytics, Management Performance Hub
  • Maggie Cunningham, Director of Air Service and Airport Experience, Indianapolis Airport Authority
  • Kelly Doucet, Director, Community Relations, Indianapolis Neighborhood Housing Partnership (INHP)
  • Alex Haberfield, Public Outreach Coordinator, Citizens Energy Group
  • Sarah Hayward, First Officer, Republic Airways
  • Eli Laidlaw, Executive Chef, The Alexander Hotel
  • Tiffany Lauderdale Phillips, Owner, Wild Geese Bookshop
  • Andrea Richter-Garry, EVP-Business Development & International Relations, Indy Economic Development
  • Natalie Russell, Director of Public Relations and Client Partnerships, TrendyMinds
  • Brett Sanford, Associate Director of Destination Experience, Sports, Visit Indy

Health & Life Science

  • Jon Ferguson, Chief of Staff & Deputy Health Commissioner, Indiana Department of Health
  • Taylor Hahn, MD, FACOG, DABOM, MSCP, Founder/Owner, VIA Women’s Health Collective
  • Vachel Hudson, Project Manager, Columbus Regional Health
  • Cecily Johnson Cruz, MSW, Independent Professional
  • Dr. April Krowel, Ph.D., HSPP, Owner; Clinical & Aviation Neuropsychologist, The Brain Center
  • Marciana Laster, MD, MS, Pediatric Nephrologist, Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University Health
  • Rebecca McNally Keehn, PhD, HSPP, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics | Indiana University School of Medicine
  • Morgan Leigh Miller, CEO, Miller Co Medical Device
  • Justin Ochoa, Founder/Owner, Gem Sessions
  • Montira (Mint) Tangsangasaksri, Formulation Scientist, Corteva Agriscience

Law

  • Grant Achenbach, Attorney, Krieg DeVault
  • Marina Blackburn, Associate Attorney, Barnes & Thornburg LLP
  • Jaclyn Flint, Partner, Riley Bennett Egloff LLP
  • Katelyn H. Juerling, Partner, Norris Choplin Schroeder LLP
  • Tyler Moorhead, Partner, Bose McKinney & Evans LLP
  • Alejandra Reichard, Partner, Barnes & Thornburg LLP
  • Rhyan J. Smith, JD., Director of Institutional Equity and Title IX Coordinator, Butler University
  • Connor Sullivan, County Attorney, Hamilton County
  • Andrea K. Townsend, Partner, Plews Shadley Racher & Braun LLP
  • Steve Wolff, VP of Governmental Affairs & Procurement, The Corydon Group, LLC

Manufacturing, Retail & Services

  • Andrew Adeniyi, CEO, AAA Solutions
  • Aaron Berghoff, Value Stream Leader, dormakaba USA, Inc.
  • Christi Hubler, Dealer Principal, Christi Hubler Ford & Christi Hubler Chevrolet
  • Kristina Hurley, National Multifamily Business Development Manager, Allegion
  • Jak Kramer, Principal, Gibson Insurance
  • Heidi Melton, Global Strategic Account Manager, Convergix
  • Chad Peterman, President & CEO, Peterman Brothers
  • Joy Smith, Talent Attraction & Community Outreach Lead – Manufacturing & Quality, Lilly
  • Austin Thomas, Data Engineer, AMPG
  • Brad Westerfield, CFO, Nutrition 101, LLC

Media, Entertainment & Sports

  • Carly Cripe, Senior Specialist, People Advisor, Arrow McLaren
  • KJ Dullen, Actor/Writer, Let Em Use Ya Productions
  • Maxwell Freeman, Director of Marketing, Indianapolis Indians
  • Peter Hanscom, Chief Development Officer, Free Press Indiana
  • Abriana Herron, Business Reporter, Inside INdiana Business
  • Ashleigh Newbold, Vice President, Engagement, Indiana Sports Corp
  • Tyler Nicole, Assistant Athletic Director (Athletic Assistant) – Teacher, Westfield Washington Schools
  • Leigh-Ann Richardville, VP, Marketing & Communications, Hirons
  • Nate Spangle, Founder, Get Indiana
  • Tori Witter, Managing Partner & Creative Director, RADL

Real Estate, Development & Construction

  • Erin Drake, Director of Marketing, Browning Real Estate Partners
  • Nelson S. Frech, Senior Project Manager, Team Leader, Skender
  • Anthony Gary, Vice President, Village Capital Corporation | Managing Broker, Indy Dwell Real Estate
  • Sam Hurley, CFO, The Annex Group
  • Ken Olson, Indiana Transportation Director, American Structurepoint, Inc.
  • Will Schuler, CEO & Owner, Will Power Excavation
  • Dylan Seesman, PE, NOMA, Principal, Director of Operations, JQOL
  • Caitlin Vergon, CPA, Manager – Real Estate Services Group, Katz, Sapper & Miller (KSM) CPAs and Advisors
  • Kionna Louise Walker, AIA, NOMA, Founder & CEO | Next Generation Architects, LLC and Founder & Principal | NGA Design Studio, LLC
  • Krystin Wiggs, Realtor, Public Relations, IU Health

Technology

  • Logan Metzger, Technical Project Manager & Team Lead, ASG
  • Chelsea Linder, VP Innovation & Entrepreneurship, TechPoint
  • Twanyea Donaldson, Audience Data Analyst, Informa Markets
  • Nida Ansari, Founder and CEO, Karmic
  • Casey Osterkamp, SVP/COO, TechPoint (CICP)
  • Leanna Adeola, Vice President, Marketing, Aunalytics
  • Geng Wang, CEO, Civic Champs
  • Devyn Mikell, Co-Founder & President, Qualify & GTM Enablement Lead, Humanly
  • Lindsay Szostak, Senior Director of Brand and Experience, EXOS
  • Amber Haantz, Project Manager, Associate, Offprem Technology

Editor’s note: Nominee Abriana Herron is a reporter with Inside INdiana Business, a division of IBJ Media.