2022 Albany Under 40 Category Winners from L to R: Morgan Burnette: Arts, Entertainment, Culinary Arts, Events, Tourism & Hospitality; Perry Ford: Civics, Defense, Government & Public Affairs; Ashley Wells-Sharpe: Innovation & Start-Ups; Clifford Johnson: Sports, Wellness & Fitness.

The Albany Area Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday recognized the finalists and announced the category winners of the 2022 Albany Under 40 Awards, a program that celebrates the Albany Area’s emerging leaders and professionals in a variety of business sectors, each representing a component of the area’s diversified talent pool and economy.

“The Albany Area is home to young leaders who are making their mark through excellence in their professions, through their innovation and through their commitment to building a stronger region,” said Barbara Rivera Holmes, president and CEO of the Albany Area Chamber, the region’s leading business advocacy organization. “We’re honored to recognize these diverse, outstanding professionals and proud they’ve chosen to live, work and invest in the Albany Area.”

Category finalists were announced earlier this month and honored at Wednesday’s awards reception at the Riverfront Resource Center in downtown Albany. Category winners, selected from among the finalists, wereannounced at the event:

•  Arts, Entertainment, Culinary Arts, Events, Tourism & Hospitality: Morgan Burnette – Director,
Chehaw Park & Zoo.
• Civics, Defense, Government & Public Affairs: Perry V. Ford – Associate, City of Albany Engineering
• Financial & Insurance Services: Mark Johnson – Business Development Relationship Officer,
Georgia's Own Credit Union
• Innovation & Start-Ups: Ashley Wells-Sharpe – CEO, Picture Perfect by Ashley
• Journalism, Marketing & Public Relations: Mallorie Smith – RN/Talent Acquisition Partner/Nurse
Recruitment Liaison, Phoebe Putney Health System
• Manufacturing, Service Industries, Energy & Architecture: Nicole Jones – Site Support Lead, Mars
Wrigley Confectionery
• Medicine & Health Care: Victoria Davidson – Epidemiologist, Georgia Department of Public Health
• Nonprofit Services: Andrea Kromminga – Youth and Young Adults Coordinator, Aspire Behavioral
Health
• Sports, Wellness & Fitness: Clifford B. Johnson – Customer Solutions Specialist, WebstaurantStore
• Technology: Latasha Edwards – Project Manager, Microsoft + Nuance
• Youth & Education: Martez Gerard Favis – Assistant Principal, Albany Middle School

Additional finalists were announced earlier this month and also recognized at the event:

Arts, Entertainment, Culinary Arts, Events, Tourism & Hospitality
Keshia Glass – Sales Assistant, iHeartMedia
Kiersten Rome - Leisure & Group Tourism Marketing Manager, Albany Convention & Visitors Bureau

Civics, Defense, Government & Public Affairs
Kimberly T. Bodiford - Supervisor, Management & Program Analyst, MCLB Albany
Kisawanda R. James – Corporal, Albany State University Police Department

Financial & Insurance Services
Ryan A. Garnto - Financial Advisor, Garnto Financial Group

Journalism, Marketing & Public Relations
Heather Harrison - Sales Manager, The Albany Herald Multimedia

Manufacturing, Service Industries, Energy & Architecture
Clint Eudy - General Manager, Express Disposal
McClane Newsome - VP of Retail Sales, Modern Gas Company

Medicine & Health Care
Josh Pearson - Team Leader, Non-invasive Cardiology - Phoebe Putney Health System

Nonprofit Service
Samantha Helton – Membership & Marketing Director, Albany Area YMCA
Ashley Nestale - Deputy Director, Family Literacy Connection

Sports, Wellness & Fitness
Jakori M. Edwards – Director, Cam Sports South Inc.

Youth & Education
Anna Fazio Gibbs – Instructor, Department of Health and Human Performance - Albany State University
Anthony Mackey – Supervisor, Bill Miller Community Center

Albany Under 40 2022 is presented by Georgia Tech’s Advanced Technology Development Center and Express Disposal: Part of the CE Family, and further supported by Albany Area Primary Health Care, Albany StateUniversity and Eagle Cleaners. 

The 2022 Albany Under 40 Young Professional of the Year, selected from among the category winners, will be announced at the Albany Area Chamber 113th annual meeting next spring.