2024 Top Forty Under 40 Announced

The Alaska Journal of Commerce is pleased to once again recognize a group of outstanding young professionals as the Class of 2024 Top Forty Under 40. We are thrilled to have winners representing Anchorage, Dillingham, Kotzebue, Juneau, North Pole, Eagle River, Palmer, Nenana and Fairbanks.

This year, we considered 362 nominations. That equaled 238 nominees with over 1,100 pages read. Every year, we are amazed at the number of submissions. Members of the selection committee rank each individual on a scale from 1 to 5, and the best 40 scores make up the class of 2024.

The selection committee was made up of Paula Bradison, Event Sponsor/President, People AK; Jada Nowling, Sales Director, Alaska Journal of Commerce; Brandi Nelson, Director of Community Partnerships, Peak 2 Peak; Kerri Donnelly, Event Manager, Peak 2 Peak; and Gayle Warner, representing NIT Alaska (a sponsor of the Alumni Connection on April 27, 2024).

The 2024 awards event will be on April 26, at the Hotel Captain Cook in Anchorage. Doors will open at 6 p.m. with a cocktail hour, and the dinner/program will begin at 7 p.m. with music and dancing following the awards and dinner.

Tickets are available at myalaskatix.com/events/2024. Individual seats are $180, and table sponsorships are $2,000.

Our magazine featuring the 2024 class will be released in the April 28 edition of the Alaska Journal of Commerce and the Anchorage Daily News. For information on event sponsorships or advertising in the special publication, please contact Jada Nowling at topforty@alaskajournal.com.

If the individual you nominated did not make it in the Class of 2024 and they still qualify in 2025, do not hesitate to nominate them again. 2025 nominations will open in September.

• Kristina Andrew, 36, Economic Development Program Manager, Bristol Bay Native Association
• Alexis “Alex” Anoruk Sallee, 33, Film Director/Producer, Inua Productions
• Tessa Baldwin, 30, City Manager, City of Kotzebue
• Alyssa Bish, 32, Vice President of Strategy and Impact, Volunteers of America (VOA) Alaska
• Jesse J. Bjorkman, 39, State Senator, Alaska Legislature
• Anna B. Brawley, 39, Owner (and) Assembly Member for West Anchorage, Tiny Birch Consulting
• Samantha Buchanon, 31, Alaska Solid Waste Market Sector Lead, HDR Inc.
• Michael Dawn Daniels, 34, Community Relations Manager, RurAL CAP
• Aaron Danielson, 39, Chief of Police and Fire, Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport
• Chase Edstrom, 36, Business Owner, Edstrom Construction, Artic Plumbing and Heating, Alaska Insulation and Coating Specialists, and Alaska Rural Construction
• Kyle Foster, 35, CEO, Eklutna Inc.
• Elizabeth “Dawn” Geest, 39, Clinic Nurse Manager, Walk-in Clinic, ANTHC
• Lindsey Hajduk, 38, Director of Community Engagement & External Affairs, NeighborWorks Alaska
• Rebecca Hilton, 38, CEO and President, Empowered Arts Alaska
• Anna Hoover, 38, Artist/Filmmaker, Anna Hoover LLC
• Crystal Jackson, 37, Senior Manager, Customer Experience & Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, GCI
• Darren Kessler, 39, Division Transportation Manager, Odyssey Logistics & Technology
• Megan Knutson, 37, Clinical Documentation Integrity Specialist, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium
• Fadil Limani, 39, Deputy Commissioner, Alaska Department of Revenue
• Jennifer Loofbourrow, 39, Owner/Founder of Alpine Fit, Alpine Fit
• Josh Louwerse, 39, Director of Statewide Initiatives, Covenant House Alaska
• Melanie Lucas-Conwell, 34, Director, Municipality of Anchorage - 49th State Angel Fund
• Jennifer McConnel, 38, Program Manager - Human Resources People, Strategies and Solutions, Providence
• Rachael Miller, 39, Chief Advocacy Officer, Food Bank of Alaska
• Jimmy Miner, 38, Vice President, Private Equity, JL Properties Inc.
• Tana Skye Nevada, 36, Managing Partner, The Bridge Co.
• Britney Olsen, 39, Executive Director, Chugiak-Eagle River Chamber of Commerce
• Rachel Olson, 39, Founder/Executive Director, Reach 907
• Rachel Pennington, 37, Owner/Manager, Fire Island Rustic Bakeshop
• Casey Sifsof, 37, Director, Shareholder Development, Bristol Bay Native Corporation
• Issa Spatrisano, 36, State Refugee Coordinator, Catholic Social Services
• Esther Tempel, 38, Director of Carbon and New Energy, ASRC Energy Services
• Tafilisaunoa Toleafoa, 39, Executive Director, Pacific Community of Alaska
• Josh Verhagen, 36, Mayor/Author, City of Nenana/JV Creations
• Daniel Volland, 39, Anchorage Assembly Member, also Owner of Ursa Optical
• Amanda Rose Warren, 36, Owner, Amanda Rose Warren Studio and Gallery
• Stephanie Woodard, 38, Co-Owner/Founding Coach, The PWR House/+ Reformer by PWR House
• Stanley Wright, 38, Representative, Alaska State House
• Tianna McGee, 39, Director of Talent Engagement and Development, Providence