The University of Georgia Alumni Association recently announced the 40 Under 40 Class of 2015. This program, which recognizes outstanding young alumni under the age of 40, is in its fifth year.

This year’s honorees were selected from a nomination pool of approximately 500 graduates. Selections were based on the graduates’ commitment to a lifelong relationship with UGA and their success in both personal and professional endeavors.

Nominations opened in February and remained open through mid-April. The honorees will be celebrated at the 2015 40 Under 40 Awards Luncheon Sept. 10 at the InterContinental Buckhead Atlanta.

“It’s a privilege to announce the 40 Under 40 honorees,” said Meredith Gurley Johnson, executive director of alumni relations. “The selection committee spends weeks evaluating hundreds of nominations for deserving young professionals. The final list makes me proud as I see men and women, from all backgrounds, putting their UGA education to work every day. The university really is fortunate to call them alumni.”

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

•    Michael Azzolin, 2002, Bishop, co-founder and owner, PharmD on Demand.

•    Laura Bland, 2006, 2008, Tifton, executive director, Stratus Healthcare.

•    Brad Bohannon, 2001, Newnan, chief of staff, Office of U.S. Congressman Lynn Westmoreland.

•    Meaghan Goodwin Boyd, 2001, 2005, Atlanta, partner, Alston & Bird LLP.

•    Blake F. Bruce, 2003, Atlanta, senior vice president for wealth management, Merrill Lynch: The Bruce Dickey Group.

•    Tricia Chastain, 2000, Roswell, president, Georgia Student Finance Commission.

•    Adam Cohen, 2006, 2012, Savannah, partner, Tenon Consulting.

•    Emily Hammond Cook, 2007, Brooklyn, New York, production, The Public Theatre.

•    Kappy deButts, 1997, Atlanta, executive director, The Zeist Foundation Inc.

•    Ashley Edmonds, 2005, 2005, 2011, Brookhaven, founder and owner, Lilywrap and Beer Greetings.

•    Curtis Franks, 2002, Orlando, Florida, counsel, NBC Sports.

•    Drew French, 2005, Athens, founder and president, Your Pie Franchising.

•    Matthew Fuhrmann, 2002, 2008, College Station, Texas, associate professor and Rothrock ’77 Fellow, Texas A&M University.

•    Brian Fuller, 1998, Atlanta, vice president, Avalere.

•    Kevin Gooch, 2004, Decatur, partner, Alston & Bird LLP.

•    Holly Gooding, 2000, Boston, specialist in adolescent medicine and instructor in pediatrics, Harvard Medical School.

•    Brett Hansen, 2000, Alpharetta, senior vice president—wealth management, Merrill Lynch: SHL & Associates Financial Advisory Team.

•    Sharon Holbrooks, 2004, 2007, Winterville, conservation easement specialist, U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service.

•    Emily Howell, 2000, Jefferson, owner and orthodontist, Howell Orthodontics.

•    Anisa Sullivan Jimenez, 2008, Athens, director of public relations and communications, Clarke County School District.

•    J. Cade Joiner, 2001, Macon, owner, Shred-X.

•    Molly Kordares, 2005, New York, producer, CBS News.

•    David Lasseter, 2002, Washington, D.C., director of government relations, United Technology Corporation.

•    Amy Ohde, 2002, Smyrna, director of field operations—southwest region, Chick-fil-A Inc.

•    Jillian Puente, 2011, 2011, San Francisco, marketing manager, Google Fiber.

•    Andy Roddenbery V, 2000, Columbus, general surgeon, St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center.

•    Christina Sass, 2002, Plymouth, North Carolina, co-founder, Andela.

•    Deep J. Shah, 2008, Atlanta, primary care resident, Emory University Internal Medicine/Primary Care.

•    Justin Shanken, 2007, Woodstock, counterintelligence special agent, Defense Security Service.

•    Mamie Shepherd, 2013, Charlotte, North Carolina, program coordinator, Ryan Seacrest Foundation.

•    Jacinta Smith, 2001, 2004, Lithonia, microbiologist, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/U.S. Public Health Service.

•    Julie Smithwick, 1997, West Columbia, South Carolina, founder and executive director, PASOs.

•    Heather Teilhet, 1998, Marietta, vice president for government relations, Georgia EMC.

•    Baxter Tharin, 1998, Las Vegas, radiologist, U.S. Air Force.

•    Arthur Tripp Jr., 2009, Landover, Maryland, senior policy advisor, Office of U.S. Congressman David Scott.

•    Cara Turano, 2001, Atlanta, vice president of sales, CafeX Communications.

•    Gerry “Bubba” Watson, 2008, Windermere, Florida, professional golfer, Professional Golfers Association.

•    David Werner, 2005, Atlanta, deputy chief of staff for legislative and external affairs, Governor Nathan Deal, Office of the Governor.

•    James Whitley, 2002, Athens, vice president and COO, Landmark Properties Inc.

•    Becky Winkler, 1998, Charlotte, North Carolina, industrial psychologist, Green Peak Partners.

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