YPI announces 40 Under Forty Class of 2022

August 23, 2022

The Young Professionals Initiative of Northwest Louisiana, a program of the Greater Shreveport Chamber, is pleased to announce the 40 Under Forty Class of 2022.

“We are excited to honor the newest class of young professionals who are changing the shape of Northwest Louisiana,” said Carly Koen, YPI Executive Committee Chair and Vice President of External relations for United Way of Northwest Louisiana. “These honorees bring bold, fresh, and innovative perspectives to their fields, setting the bar for community engagement and activism.”

The 40 Under Forty Awards honor forty professionals under the age of 40 who have excelled in their careers, education, professional development, community leadership, and volunteer efforts. One honoree is chosen out of the 40 to receive the Young Professional of the Year Award for exemplary efforts in each category, and will be announced at the 40 Under Forty Awards Gala on December 2nd, 2022 at Sam’s Town Hotel & Casino.

Liz Crews, YPI 40 Under Forty Chair and Website Manager for the Shreveport-Bossier Convention and Tourist Bureau said, “With a record-breaking number of nominations and applications from talented and hardworking individuals from across northwest Louisiana, it was extremely difficult for our selection committee to pick just 40 honorees for this year’s class! We are so thrilled to celebrate these exceptional honorees and to spotlight their extraordinary contributions to our community.”

The 2022 40 Under Forty honorees are:

  • Shannon Ali, Bossier Parish Schools & Daytime Playtime LLC

  • Billy Anderson, Power Coalition for Equity and Justice

  • Darlenna Atkins-Davenport, Louisiana State University Shreveport

  • Jody J. Bluitt, Williams Financial Advisors – WFA

  • Brett Brown, Biomedical Research Foundation of Northwest Louisiana (BRF) – EAP Division

  • Nichole Buckle, Carmouche, Bokenfohr, Buckle and Day, PLLC

  • Claire Childs, Vintage Realty Company

  • Jutorrean Davis, United States District Courts, Western District of Louisiana

  • Walton Gaskins, Community Bank of Louisiana

  • Ebony Gourrier, The Department of the Air Force and Defense Health Agency

  • Emily Hamann, Social Butterfly Advertising & Design, LLC | American Rose Society

  • Tierra Heard, Overton Brooks Veteran Affairs Medical Center

  • Jonathan Hodge, H & H Foldings, H & H Field Services, H & H Operating, NWLA Investment Properties

  • Brooke Huff, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Ally Real Estate / The Brooke Huff Team

  • Alonzo Jackson, Alonzo P. Jackson Jr. Attorney at Law

  • Marie Johnson-Watts, Overton Brooks VA Medical Center

  • Tricia Jowell, Volunteers of America North Louisiana

  • Chase Kauffman, BancorpSouth Bank

  • Jeffrey Kerst, Kerst & Caskey Family Dentistry

  • Andrea Kimble, Etheredge Industrial Services

  • Dr. Justin Lord-Stephens, Louisiana State University – Shreveport (LSUS)

  • Narita Loyd-Goff, Center for Disease Control Foundation, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Pennsylvania Bureau of Infectious Disease

  • Erica McCain, Dress for Success Shreveport -Bossier

  • Michael Melerine, Seabaugh & Sepulvado, LLC

  • Elizabeth Miller, Shreveport Symphony Orchestra

  • Courtney Miller, North Bossier Counseling, CORP

  • Breunka Moon, Southern University at Shreveport

  • Sandra Page, The Law Offices of Sandra James Page, LLC.

  • John Person, Nelson and Hammons, APLC

  • Audrius Reed, Audrius M. Reed, Attorney at Law, LLC

  • Alexander Richardson, Bossier Arts Council

  • Samantha Roberts, LSU Health Sciences Foundation – Shreveport

  • Tiffany Sandifer, Bossier Parish Community College

  • Benjamin Simmons, Youree Drive Middle School

  • Jenny Traweek, Benton Middle School

  • Tamna Wangjam, LSU Health Shreveport

  • Vanessa Wilcox, USAF

  • Sarah Wilkes Thompson, Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality

  • Cassandra Williams, Louisiana State University Shreveport

  • Laura Woodham, Ochsner LSU Health

YPI exists to create a network of community leaders under the age of 40 to enhance the development of Northwest Louisiana for the attraction and retention of young professionals in our region. YPI is proud of the role we play in the economic development of Northwest Louisiana.