The University of Georgia Alumni Association has announced the 40 Under 40 Class of 2013. The group of young alumni will be celebrated at an awards luncheon Sept. 19 at the Georgia Aquarium.

Selected from a nominee pool of approximately 500 graduates, the program recognizes 40 outstanding UGA alumni under age 40.

Criteria for the 40 Under 40 program include the graduates' commitment to a lifelong relationship with UGA and their impact in business, leadership, community, artistic, research, educational and/or philanthropic endeavors.

Nominations were accepted from February through April. Several university administrators comprised the selection committee that reviewed each nominee.

"The 40 Under 40 program is important because it helps foster lifelong relationships between recent graduates and celebrates alumni who, at a young age, have found great success in their personal and professional endeavors," said Deborah Dietzler, executive director of alumni relations. "We are excited to share these outstanding individuals with the world."

This year's 40 Under 40 Class honorees, their graduation year, city, title and organization are:

• Kevin Abernethy, 1999, Atlanta, partner, Hall Booth Smith P.C.
• Laurie Barron, 1996, Newnan, principal, Coweta County School System
• Andy Barrs, 2002, Athens, managing partner, Principle Centered Investments
• Charlie Bethel, 1998, 2001, Dalton, director of human resources, J&J Industries Inc.
• Kimberly Black, 2001, New Orleans, transplant social worker, Ochsner Health System's Multi-Organ Transplant Institute
• Rodney Bullard, 2012, Lilburn, executive director, Chick-fil-A Foundation
• Travis Canova, 2005, Columbus, special agent, Federal Bureau of Investigation
• Jason Carter, 2004, Atlanta, attorney, Bondurant Mixson & Elmore LLP; State Senator 42nd district
• Charnetta Colton, 1999, Sandersville, pediatrician, Children's Healthcare Center of Sandersville
• Jinali Desai, 2007, Marietta, market health and wellness director, Wal-mart
• Angela Dotson, 1998 and 1999, Atlanta, partner, Habif, Arogeti and Wynne LLP
• Kira Fonteneau, 2005, Birmingham, Ala., public defender, Jefferson County Public Defenders Office
• Thomas Forsberg, 2000, 2010, Columbus, first vice president, SunTrust Bank
• Lindsey Groepper, 2001, Indianapolis, president, BLASTmedia
• Erin Hames, 2002, Atlanta, deputy chief of staff, Governor Nathan Deal
• Nathan Hardeman, 2005, Quetzaltenango, Guatemala, executive director, Engadi Ministries International
• Brendan K. Hatcher, 1997, Falls Church, Va., diplomat, State Department
• Tosha Hays, 2007, Atlanta, director of product design, Spanx Inc.
• Ron Holt, 1997, Mountain Brook, Ala., CEO and founder, Two Maids & A Mop
• Jon Howell, 1999, Jefferson, president and CEO, Georgia Health Care Association
• Ashley Jones, 2001, Washington, D.C., chief of staff, Congressman John Barrow
• Jennifer Jordan, 2001, Atlanta, attorney, Bird Law Group
• Shunta Jordan, 1998 and 2003, Union City, teacher and debate coach, Pace Academy
• R. Patrick Lucas, 1998, Watkinsville, doctor, Hawthorne Medical Associates
• Michael Mannina, 2004, Armed Forces Europe, financial attaché to Saudi Arabia, U.S. Department of the Treasury
• Jessica McClellan, 2000, 2003, Washington, D.C., trial attorney, aviation and admiralty litigation and Deepwater Horizon, U.S. Department of Justice
• Michael McConnell, 2007, Athens, assistant professor of aerospace science and operations flight commander, U.S. Air Force-AFROTC Detachment 160
• Timothy Murphy, 1996, Norcross, senior vice president, finance, RockTenn
• Kim Nogi, 2009, Atlanta, publicist, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
• Robyn Painter, 1998, Decatur, staff attorney, Georgia Resource Center
• Emily Hanson Scofield, 1999 Charlotte, N.C., executive director, U.S. Green Building Council, North Carolina Chapter 
• Richard Scott, 2005, Millerton, N.Y., artist, Richard T. Scott Art
• Kevin Scott, 2011, Kennesaw, co-founder, ADDO Institute
• Logan Smalley, 2006, New York, director of TED education, TED Conferences
• Irving Steel, 2008, Shanghai, China, founder/CEO, Original Life
• Mark Anthony Thomas, 2001, Cambridge, Mass., director and publisher, City Limits
• Raegan Tuff, 2009, Atlanta, senior public health analyst, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Albert Glover Way, 2008, Atlanta, assistant professor of history, Kennesaw State University
• Padgett "Pat" Wilson, 1996, Atlanta, chief operating officer, Georgia Department of Economic Development
• Allen Yee, 99 and 2003, Atlanta, counsel, the Coca-Cola Company

For more information about the 40 Under 40 program and/or to view previous 40 Under 40 classes, see http://www.alumni.uga.edu/40u40.