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.