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.

Feel free to spread the word about The Charlotte Ledger’s 40 Over 40 Awards, presented by U.S. Bank, by sharing this post.

Share

Need to sign up for this e-newsletter? We offer a free version, as well as paid memberships for full access to all 7 of our local newsletters:

Subscribe now

The Charlotte Ledger is a locally owned media company that delivers smart and essential news. We strive for fairness and accuracy and will correct all known errors. The content reflects the independent editorial judgment of The Charlotte Ledger. Any advertising, paid marketing or sponsored content will be clearly labeled.

◼️ About The Ledger • Our Team • Website◼️ Newsletters • Podcast • Newcomer Guide • A Better You email series◼️ Subscribe • Sponsor • Events Board • Merch Store • Manage Your Account◼️ Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X/Twitter, LinkedIn

Reply

Avatar

or to participate

Keep Reading