Meet this year’s Top 40 Under 40 as chosen by Edmonton’s Avenue Magazine

Every year, Avenue Magazine honours a group of individuals making huge contributions towards making Edmonton better.

This year’s Top 40 Under 40 recipients include entrepreneurs, teachers and student leaders. Among them are advocates of all stripes, artists and real life superheroes.

These 40 notable overachievers were nominated by their peers and then selected by a jury comprised of prominent Edmontonians and former Top 40s.

Avenue Magazine honoured these accomplished individuals at a ceremony at the Winspear Centre Monday night.

They will also be featured in the magazine’s November issue, which will be available Oct. 31 across the city.

“Alberta is growing, with one million more people expected by 2020,” Avenue publisher Orville Chubb said. “This year’s Top 40 are making Edmonton the best possible place for its future residents.”

2017 Top 40 Under 40:

Amy Abe: Instructor and curriculum developer, NorQuest College

Lauren Albrecht: PhD candidate, pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Alberta; co-boss, Nerd Nite Edmonton

Nabaa Alam: Process engineering specialist and business analyst, Imperial Oil; energy entrepreneur

Ahmed “Knowmadic” Ali: Breath In Poetry Collective artistic director; Edmonton’s poet laureate

Marina Banister: University of Alberta Students’ Union president

Hannah Barrington: Community ambassador, Care at Home by Exquisicare; president of Junior League of Edmonton

Graeme Bell: Partner, Alair Homes Edmonton

Ali Damani: Vice president of operations, Medicentres Family Care Clinics

Jenn Flynn: APPLE Schools executive director

Rebecca Grant: Chocolatier and owner of The Violet Chocolate Company

Jill Green: Registered psychologist, wellness and psychological services, student affairs at MacEwan University

Teresa Hardy: Speech language pathologist at Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital; PhD candidate, University of Alberta

Robyn Henwood: Stem cell territory manager, Canadian Blood Services

Junaid Jahangir: MacEwan University assistant professor of economics; Writer, activist

Ashley Janssen: Code and Effect co-founder and CEO

Ben King: University of Alberta instructor; independent industrial designer

Paul Lanni: Averton Homes CEO and president

Jesse Lipscombe: #MakeItAwkward campaign co-founder; founder of FlowPower; co-owner of Wevive Fitness; actor, producer, singer, motivational speaker

Blake Loates: Photographer and mental health advocate

Cory MacTaggart: Westglen School principal

Brea Malacad: Elk Island School Division psychologist

Laurel McCalla: Director of Ubuntu Children and Families

Erin McDonald: Manager of art collections with the Alberta Foundation for the Arts

Eleanor Mohammed: Director of planning and engineering with Town of Beaumont

Colleen Mooney: Edmonton Police Service sergeant; coordinator of Critical Incident Re-integration Team; volunteer with the Play Around the World Advisory Committee, University of Alberta

Greg Nakatsui: Vice president of Lincolnberg Master Builders; Vice president and board member of Canadian Home Builders Association

Morenike Olaosebikan: Ribbon Rouge Foundation president

Doug Organ: Producer and recording engineer at Edmontone Studio; musician

Andrew Parker: Teacher and coach at M.E. LaZerte High School; director of Pride of the Northside; director and coach at AGP Flight School

Ryan Parker: Actor, photographer, teacher and musician

Keren Perla: Alberta CoLab director

Carla Prado: Assistant professor of CAIP Chair in Nutrition, Food and Health, University of Alberta; director of Human Nutrition Research Unit, University of Alberta

Chevi Rabbit: Community advocate and makeup artist

Nicole Rice: Owner of Sweet {Jolie}

Andrea Ruelling: Clinical assistant professor, University of Alberta, Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders

Patrycia Rzechowka: Provincial public complaint director, Law Enforcement Oversight Branch, Justice and Solicitor General Ministry, Government of Alberta

Keren Tang: Project lead, Government of Alberta ministry of health; member of the Edmonton Multicultural Coalition

Meghan Unterschultz: Associate executive director and vice president of people and culture, Francis Winspear Centre for Music and the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra

Leigh Wright: Marketing manager, Mojo Designs; founder of Vignettes

This year marks the ninth annual Top 40 Under 40. Nominations for the 2018 class are available at Top40Under40.com.