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University of Georgia 40 Under 40 Class of 2017 Includes Local Resident

Kelundra Smith

Monday, July 31st, 2017

The University of Georgia Alumni Association recently unveiled the members of the 40 Under 40 Class of 2017. This program began in 2011, and celebrates the personal, professional and philanthropic achievements of UGA graduates who are under the age of 40. The list includes Savannah’s Dr. Rebecca Gay Evans, the owner of Evans Equine, LLC, an equine veterinary practice specializing in integrative medicine, including preventative care, treatment for orthopedic injuries and pain management for competition horses in multiple disciplines.  Evans Equine treats patients in a territory ranging from Statesboro to Charleston.  In addition to running Evans Equine, Dr. Evans serves as the staff veterinarian for SCAD’s equestrian team.

Dr. Evans graduated from Savannah Country Day School in 2001 and Davidson College in 2005.  After college, she continued on to veterinary school where she received her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from UGA’s College of Veterinary Medicine in 2010.  Outside of her career, Dr. Evans volunteers with Savannah’s Royce Learning Center, where she is member of its Board of Directors, and she is a member of St. Thomas Episcopal Church on Isle of Hope.  Dr. Evans is married to Larry Evans, an attorney with Oliver Maner LLP, and they have precocious one-and-a-half year-old twins, Wren and Gibson Evans.

Also among the 2017 honorees are ESPN’s Maria Taylor, Georgia Teacher of the Year Casey M. Bethel, state Rep. Sam Watson, who represents Colquitt, Thomas and Tift counties, and Maritza McClendon, the first woman of color to represent Team USA on the Olympic swim team. Nominations for 40 Under 40 were open from February to April, and nearly 400 outstanding alumni were nominated for the program. Honorees must have attended the University of Georgia and aspire to uphold the Pillars of the Arch. More information about criteria is on the UGA Alumni Association website.

The honorees will be recognized at the seventh annual 40 Under 40 Awards Luncheon on Sept. 14 at the Grand Hyatt Atlanta in Buckhead. Ernie Johnson, a 1978 UGA graduate, will serve as keynote speaker for the event. Johnson is a co-host on TNT’s “Inside the NBA” and is the lead announcer for TBS Major League Baseball. He delivered the undergraduate commencement address in May.

“Announcing the 40 Under 40 honorees each year is exciting,” Meredith Gurley Johnson, executive director of alumni relations, said. “It is more difficult every year to narrow the list down to 40, and that is a testament to the caliber of our alumni. This year's class includes alumni in a variety of industries ranging from broadcasting to agriculture, and some of our Bulldog 100 business owners. We are so proud.”

This year's 40 Under 40 honorees, including their graduation year from UGA, city, title and employer, are:

  1. Casey M. Bethel 2005, Lithia Springs, Ga., Georgia Department of Education Teacher of the Year, New Manchester High School

  2. Travis Butler 2009, Athens, Ga., president, Butler Properties and Development

  3. Eric Callahan 2005 Griffin, Ga., owner, Callahan Industries

  4. Mariel Clark 2001, Knoxville, vice president, digital video & editorial - home & travel brands, Scripps Network Interactive

  5. Andrew Dill 2006 and 2007, Washington, D.C., director of government relations, Lockheed Martin

  6. Amelia Dortch 2006 and 2012, Auburn, Ala., state public affairs specialist, U.S. Department of Agriculture

  7. Katie Dubnik 2003, Gainesville, Ga., president, Forum Communications

  8. Rebecca Evans 2010, Savannah, Ga., equine veterinarian, Evans Equine, LLC

  9. Rebecca Filson 2005, Roswell, Ga., regional vice president of operations, BenchMark Rehab Partners

  10. Matt Forshee 2000, Evans, Ga., region manager, community & economic development, Georgia Power

  11. Nicholas Friedmann 2006, Washington, D.C., private client relationship manager, Citibank

  12. James Gates 2001 and 2004, Atlanta, partner, Bell Oaks Executive Search

  13. Christine Green 2002, New York, general counsel, Leadership for Educational Equity

  14. Lauren Griffeth 2005, 2008 and 2013, Athens, Ga., director, leadership programs in agricultural and environmental sciences, University of Georgia

  15. Destin Hill 2002, Phoenix, physician, Arizona Sports Medicine Center

  16. Dominique Holloman 2001 and 2004, Atlanta, independent consultant

  17. Katie Jacobs 2005, Athens, Ga., owner, Cheeky Peach Boutique

  18. Jonas Jennings 2000 and 2012, Athens, Ga., director of player development, UGA Athletic Association, president, JJ 75 Properties LLC

  19. LeRoya Chester Jennings 2001, Atlanta, managing partner, Chester Jennings & Smith LLC

  20. Adam Johnson 2016, Atlanta, senior consultant, Cognizant

  21. Joshua Jones 2006 and 2008, Atlanta, president/CEO, Red Clay Communications

  22. Marcus Jones 2009, Detroit, president, Detroit Training Center

  23. Kasey Knight 2005, Quitman, Ga., pharmacist/owner, Lee & Pickels Drugs

  24. Matt Koperniak 2002 and 2004, Sugar Hill, Ga., director of bands, Riverwatch Middle School

  25. Dorian Lamis 2003, Atlanta, assistant professor/clinical psychologist, Emory University School of Medicine

  26. Dan Ludlam 2004 and 2007, Atlanta, senior manager, real estate attorney, Chick-fil-A Inc.

  27. Gordon Maner 2004, Charleston, S.C., managing partner, Allen Mooney & Barnes

  28. Maritza McClendon 2005, Atlanta, senior brand marketing manager for OshKosh B’gosh, Carter’s Inc.

  29. Behnoosh Momin 2015, Chamblee, Ga., health scientist, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

  30. Travis Moore 2003, Kirkwood, Mo., senior brewmaster, Anheuser-Busch InBev

  31. Wes Neece 2000, Atlanta, merchandising vice president – lighting, The Home Depot

  32. Julian Price 2000, Watkinsville, Ga., physician/partner, Athens Orthopedic Clinic

  33. Tim Puetz 2006, Silver Spring, MD, operations manager, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center

  34. Tucker Berta Sarkisian 2000, Atlanta, Ga., director of public relations, SweetWater Brewing Co.

  35. Maria Taylor 2009 and 2013, Charlotte, N.C., college sports analyst and reporter, ESPN

  36. Alissa Vickery 2001, Mabelton, Ga., senior vice president, accounting and controls, FleetCor Technologies Inc.

  37. Sam Watson 2002, Moultrie, Ga., managing partner, Chill C Farms/Moultrie Melon Company, state Rep. House District 172

  38. Laura Whitaker 2007 and 2010, Watkinsville, Ga., executive director, Extra Special People

  39. Whitney Woodward 2000, Covington, Ga., vice president – total rewards, RaceTrac Petroleum Inc.

  40. Alex Wright 2008, Byron, Ga., overseas research fellow, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine