Today, we are pleased to announce the finalists for our ninth annual Nashville Emerging Leader Awards (NELAs). We created the NELAs to celebrate the many accomplishments of young professionals in Middle Tennessee, who are not only a significant part of our workforce, but who also contribute their time and talents to improving our community through their volunteer efforts.

Each year, we see not only growth in number of applicants, but an increase in levels of talent and commitment to making our region a better place. Our applicant pool was incredibly competitive, and these finalists withstood the judging process.

Architecture, Engineering & Construction

William Radford, Lend Lease

Kristi Schnell, Gresham, Smith and Partners

Brittany L. Shepherd, Turner Construction Company

Ashley T. Smith, Stantec Consulting Services, Inc.

Britnie Turner, Aerial Development Group

Arts, Entertainment & Music Business

Marcia Masulla, 12th & Broad – A Gannett Media Company

Amanda Mazzo, Mazzo Media

Brian O’Neil, Iconic Entertainment

Ryan Rowland, Country Music Television

Laura Williams, Regions Bank

Business Services

Matt Boeshore, eVolve Benefits

Klay Lesko, Averitt Express

Brian Lord, Premiere Speakers Bureau

Jasmine Quattlebaum, Nashville Convention Center Authority

Dan Stephenson, Dan’s Gourmet Mac & Cheese

Community Service & Nonprofit

Johnathan Adair, The Mental Health Initiative

Corinne Bergeron, Jackson National Life Insurance Company

Meagan Flippin, United Way of Rutherford and Cannon Counties

Ashford Hughes, Southeast Laborers’ District Council

Katherine Pace Snyder, Prevent Child Abuse Tennessee

Environment & Sustainability

Janey Camp, Vanderbilt University

Matt Genova, Tuned In Broadcasting, Inc.

Christopher W. Hayes, Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis LLP

Jenny L. Howard, Tennessee Department of Environment & Conservation

Michelle B. Walker, Tennessee Department of Environment & Conservation

Financial Services

John Byers, Aon

Jeremy Davis, The Bank of Nashville

Aaron Dorn, Avenue Bank

Nancy Mullen, KraftCPAs

Chris Robinette, Capital Financial Group/Mass Mutual

Government & Public Affairs

Jessica Gibson, Tennessee Higher Education Commission

Erin S. Holt, Tennessee Department of Economic & Community Development

Lonnell Matthews, Jr. , Metropolitan Government of Nashville & Davidson County

Anna M. Richardson, McMahan Winstead, LLC

Michael Sullivan, Tennessee Republican Party

Hospitality & Tourism

Staci Bockman, 312 Pizza Company and Tempur Chocolate Shoppe

Claire M. Crowell, A. Marshall Family Foods

Kellie Keyes, Omni Hotels & Resorts

Erica Rains, The Chef and I, LLC

Sarah Vickery, Wildhorse Saloon

Human Resources

Meg Harris, UBS Business Solutions Center – Nashville

Heather Neisen, TechnologyAdvice

Kaylee Osland, Vaco Nashville, LLC

Jaclyn Pritchett, Cracker Barrel Old Country Store

Jessica L. Utley, Lattimore Black Morgan & Cain, PC

Legal Services

Sarah Hannah, Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP

Gabe Roberts, Tennessee Division of Health Care Finance and Administration

Joycelyn Stevenson, Littler Mendelson, PC

Casey Gill Summar, Arts & Business Council of Greater Nashville

Todd A. Tressler, II, Tressler & Associates, PLLC

Medical & Health Care Services

Zach Evans, HCA/TriStar Centennial Medical Center

W.K. Cash Forshee, Lucro

Elliott Holt, MediCopy Services

Reggie Ramsey, Healthways

Mark Silvestro, Foundations Recovery Network

Public Relations, Advertising & Marketing

Cara Jackson, IASIS Healthcare

Michelle Lacewell, Nashville Area Metropolitan Planning Organization

Leigh Lindsay, McNeely Pigott & Fox Public Relations

Jennifer Renshaw, Quorum Health Resources

Emily Baker Richard, Bridgestone Americas

Real Estate Services

Josh Anderson, The Anderson Group Real Estate – Keller Williams

Christie Bradley, The Wilson Group

Adria DeLaune, JPS Realty Partners

Grant Hammond, Metropolitan Brokers, LLC

Frank Thomasson, DTZ

Technology

Rob Bellenfant, TechnologyAdvice

Eric Bero, Peak 10

Jessica Osaki, Blackbaud, Inc.

Annakate Tefft Ross, McNeely Pigott & Fox Public Relations

Courtney H. Smith, ForceX, Inc.

We invite you to meet these finalists and congratulate them in person at our networking event on Wednesday, June 24. Also, make plans to join us Thursday, July 30, for the NELAs ceremony, where we will announce the winners of this prestigious award. Register today for these two exciting events.