Ole Miss Alumni Association names first 40 recipients under 40

OXFORD, Mississippi — The Ole Miss Alumni Association has unveiled its first 40 Under 40 class. This program celebrates the personal, professional and philanthropic achievements of University of Mississippi graduates under the age of 40.

Recipients will be honored with a ceremony March 25 as part of Fresh Graduate Weekend, which includes a crawfish boil at Swayze Field when baseball’s Ole Miss Rebels take on Tennessee.

The group of 2022 graduates includes an NBC News producer, a commander of the US Space Force, a talent relations and awards specialist at Netflix and a director of the National Security Council.

“We are thrilled to unveil this first class of 40 under 40 and welcome them back to campus to honor their achievements,” said Kirk Purdom (BA 93), CEO of the Ole Miss Alumni Association. “These exceptional individuals exemplify leadership in their industries and communities, and I’m glad we were able to launch this recognition program.”

Nominations for 40 Under 40 were open from October to December, and over 500 nominations were received for this year’s class.

Recipients must be active members of the Alumni Association, have made a significant impact in their industry or field, have civic or professional achievements, aspire to uphold the core values ​​of UM Creed, have completed a university undergraduate and demonstrate a commitment to maintaining a lifelong relationship with the university and OMAA.

“The class of 2022 truly represents young Ole Miss alumni with careers in television, government affairs, philanthropy and even the outdoors,” said Sunny Brown (BSFCS 09, MA 11), deputy business affairs director for alumni who organized the awards. “It will be so special to reward them in March and allow our current students to network with all that our group has to offer.”

The members of the 2022 class of 40 under 40 are:

• Sumner Abraham (BA 12, MD 16), from Oxford, director of medical operations for Relias Healthcare
• Julie Howell Addison (BA 07, JD 10), from Oxford, Assistant US Attorney, US Department of Justice
• Jessie Austin (BACcy 11, MTax 13), from Washington, DC, Audit Liaison, US Mint
• Reed Barrett (BBA 07), from Houston, Texas, software manager and co-founder, CampusOptics
• Cody Berrey (BSME 15, MS 17), from Oxford, Senior Mechanical Engineer, General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems
• Erika Berry (BA 08), from Nashville, Tennessee, Senior Policy Director, TennesseeCAN
• Casey Butts (BACcy 04, JD 07), of Laurel, staff attorney, Sanderson Farms Inc.
• Vince Chamblee (BA 10, BACcy 10), from Oxford, Senior Financial Advisor, Hardy Reed
• Martha Frances Dalton (BS 11), of Corinth, Assistant Clinical Professor of Veterinary Pathology, Mississippi Veterinary Research and Diagnostic Laboratory, Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine
• Kimbrely Dandridge (BAJ 13), of Seattle, corporate attorney/entertainment attorney, Amazon
• Addison Edmonds (BBA 09), from Nashville, Founder, Gunner Kennels
• Christin Gates-Calloway (BA 11), from Verona, Wisconsin, program and policy manager, The Foundation for Black Women’s Wellness
• Billy Glasco Jr. (BA 05), of Greenville, Archivist, Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum-National Archives and Records Administration
• Davis Horton (BBA 12), from Memphis, sports agent, Creative Artists Agency
• Melissa King (BBA 07), of Tupelo, Victims of Crime Law Staff Attorney, North Mississippi Rural Legal Services
• Quadray Kohlhiem (BBA 14), from Seattle, Senior Supplier Manager, Amazon
• Collar. Dex Landreth (BBA 04), from Viera, Florida, Commander, National Reconnaissance Office, US Space Force
• Lauren Lyles-Stolz (BPSC 13, PharmD 16), from Alexandria, Va., Legislative Health Assistant, U.S. House of Representatives
• Gresham Hodges Meek (BA 12), from Dallas, CEO/Creative Director, Gresham
• John Monteith (BAJ 14), from Los Angeles, specialist – talent relations and awards, documentary – publicity, Netflix
• Betsey Mosby (BACcy 07, MTax 08), of Jackson, Owner-Director, Betsey Mosby Interior Design
• Phelton Moss (BA 12, PhD 20), from Washington, DC, Professor of Educational Policy and Leadership, American University and Senior TA Consultant, National Center on Great Teachers and Leaders
• Ian Navarro (BFCS 07), from Denver, COO/Senior VP of Sales, What Chefs Want
• Ty New (BBA 11, MBA 12), from Memphis, co-founder/president, Project Apoyo
• Joshua Norris (BA 09, BACcy 09), of Jackson, Owner, LeFleur Financial Wealth Management
• Chase Parham (BUS 18), from Oxford, podcast editor-host and co-owner, Rivals.com/MPW Digital
• Sarah Bracy Penn (BA 15, BAJ 15), from New York, producer, NBC News
• EJ Presley (BA 10, MEd 12, EdD 19), from Oxford, Associate Director of Career Development, University of Mississippi
• Daniel Roberts (BA 14), from Washington, DC, Head of Communications, BrightDrop
• Anna Rubinstein (BA 11, BA 11, BSChE 11), from Arlington, Virginia, Director of Testing and Assessment, MORSE Corporation
• Ashley Sheils (BAEd 05, MEd 06), from Madison, Director, MiSsion Acceleration, UM
• Tywanna Smith (BBA 04, MBA 05), of West Memphis, Arkansas, President, The Athlete’s Nexus
• Mollie Spencer (BSPSC 08, PharmD 11), of Senatobia, Pharmacist Owner, Community Pharmacy
• Grace Sturdivant (BA 06), of Ridgeland, Founder and Owner, OtoPro Technologies
• Nicole Tisdale (BA 06, JD 09), from Washington, DC, Director, National Security Council, The White House
• Collins Tuohy Smith (BA 09), of Memphis, co-owner, Whimsy Cookie Co., CEO Collins Closets
• Jenny Ann Urban (BA 11, MBA 13, JD 15, LLM 16), from Oxford, Consultant, GoCrisis and Adjunct Professor of Aviation Law, Eastern New Mexico University
• Kyle Veazey (BA 04), from Memphis, senior vice president/executive operations, ALSAC
• Marc E. Walker (BS 06), of Jackson, Professor of Plastic and Orthopedic Surgery, Division Director of Adult and Pediatric Hand and Upper Extremity Surgery, and Director of the Hand Surgery Fellowship Program, UM Medical Center
• Charlie White (BBA 06), of Tupelo, Director of Safety, Environment and Human Resources, B&B Concrete Co. Inc.

To register for the awards ceremony, scheduled for 4:30 p.m. on March 25 at The Inn at Ole Miss, visit https://www.olemissalumni.com/events/.