On March 5, the Young Women's Alliance and Young Men's Business League announced the finalists for their prestigious Austin Under 40 Awards — and the list is packed with power hitters. For 20 years, the AU40 have lauded notable young Austinites across 16 different categories, ranging from architecture and design to nonprofits to technology.
This year's charity gala will be held on May 19 at the JW Marriott, with proceeds going to support the YWA Foundation and the Austin Sunshine Camps. Attendees to the glitzy affair can enjoy a VIP cocktail hour, entertainment, silent auction, dinner, dancing — and of course the awards ceremony, which declares winners in each category as well as the Mentor of the Year.
And the nominees for the 2018 AU40 are:
Architecture and Design
Ada Corral, Adam Nyer, Matthew Hoglund, Megan Lasch, and Patrice Rios
Arts, Media, and Entertainment
Cassandra King Polidori, David Messier, Livia Pope, Taylor Ellison, and Terry Pierre-Mitchell
Civics, Government, and Public Affairs
Dana Harris, David Edmonson, Jo Cassandra Cuevas, Virginia Cumberbatch, and Yvette Ruiz
Culinary Arts, Events, and Hospitality
C.K. Chin, Cassie LaMere, Fallon Gaskamp-Allison, John Antonelli, and Kendall Antonelli
Energy, Mobility, and Transportation
Jennifer Duthie, Kelly Daniel, Mica Vehik, Phillip Lay, and Suzanne King
Innovation and Start-up
Adam Lyons, Caroline Freedman, R.C. Rondero de Mosier, Stephanie Hansen, and Whitney Wolfe Herd
Financial and Insurance Services
Donald Park, Eric Hare, Jeff Socha, Kerri Swope, and Lindsey Leaverton
Journalism, Marketing, and Public Relations
BA Snyder, Hema Muller, Jamie Chandlee, Jessica Scanlon, and Kristie Gonzales
Legal
Adam Nagorski, Courtney Dickey, Jared Lindaer, Lauren Schoenbaum, and Sujata Ajmera
Medicine and Healthcare
David Shackelford, John Fought, Richard Bottner, Sarah Saxon, and Vinit Varu M.D.
Nonprofit Service
Derrick Lesnau, Kandace Vallejo, Mary Van Haneghan, Meme Styles, and Raquel Valdez
Real Estate
Blair Nelson, Emily Chenevert, Laura Brady, Lizzy Jarvis, and Wade Giles
Sports, Wellness, and Fitness
Alex Earle, Carly Pollack, Chi Chi Randolph, Marc Tucci, and Robin Emmerich
Technology
Joah Spearman, Michael Manning, Sara Ines-Calderon, Shruti Anand, and Tricia Katz
Youth and Education
Anneliese Tanner, Ashley Alaniz-Moyer, Jennifer Garcia, Lucas Janda, and Sean Duffy
Mentor of the Year
Fayruz Benyousef, CFRE, Kali’ Rourke, Laura Sovine, Matt Swinney, and Toya Bell
This year, AU40 received the most nominations in its 20-year history, according to a press release. And with all that extra buzz behind it, AU40 organizers say they expect 2018 to be the biggest event yet.
"This year’s nominees are a wonderful representation of the young professionals that are leading the path in their respective career industries,” Hal Williams, 2018 AU40 co-chair, said in a release. “We anticipate this year’s gala to be our largest event ever in the past two decades of the AU40 Awards.”
Tables for the gala are currently available here, while tickets go on sale April 1. Those interested in seeing who takes home the crown in their respective category can purchase tables or learn about sponsorship opportunities here.
Bumble CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd is nominated in Innovation and Start-up.
