40 Under 40: Class of 2022 | Pittsburgh Magazine

The 24th annual program recognizes achievement and service in the Pittsburgh region.

For many of the honorees selected as members of our 2022 40 Under 40 class, striving to improve diversity, equity and inclusivity in our region is a strong focus of their work.

As disruptions caused by the pandemic recede, our honorees are seeking to restore stability — but with a new mission to improve outreach.

There’s State Rep. Jessica Benham, who is the first openly autistic and first and only out bisexual person in the Pennsylvania Legislature. Carmen Bruce focuses on recruiting veterans, people of color, members of the LGBTQ community and people with disabilities for jobs at PNC. William Clark has a similar role at Deloitte Consulting. Joseph Hall, the relatively new executive director of the Kelly Strayhorn Theater, is striving to create a home for experimentation, community dialogue and collective action rooted in the liberation of Black and queer people.

2022 40 Under 40 Honoree: Melinda Angeles

“I’m really fortunate to be in a network where I know a lot of people who do a lot of things and I want to help them, and I also want to be one of them.”

2022 40 Under 40 Honoree: Jennifer C. Barnes

“There are undeniable, systemic restrictions on certain groups. There are reasons why certain groups don’t have opportunities or the same rate of advancement.”

2022 40 Under 40 Honoree: Brittany Bell

“One penguin always has to jump into the water first — to basically see if they’re going to get eaten. And then the rest of the pack will jump in after if everything is fine.”

2022 40 Under 40 Honoree: Jessica Benham

“I think that I fight differently than some of my colleagues who have not had those same experiences.”

2022 40 Under 40 Honoree: Carmen Bruce

“I would like to help others who had a similar non-traditional path in financial services. They deserve an opportunity because I was given one.”

2022 40 Under 40 Honoree: William Clark

“I really feel like I could be a leader in something that is creating more opportunities for people who historically haven’t had them.”

2022 40 Under 40 Honoree: Ashley Coup

“You can make innovation accessible to anyone, and anyone can be innovative if they are given the tools, the process, the framework, to allow them.”

2022 40 Under 40 Honoree: Collin Diedrich

“One of the things that I really want to do is to be an example for kids that think differently, that they’re able to pursue their dreams even if they need to overcome large obstacles.”

2022 40 Under 40 Honoree: Jack Dougherty

“I just get such a fulfillment from seeing people that come down every year, they have their holiday traditions, they have their family traditions, and it’s kind of building the space for that to happen.”

2022 40 Under 40 Honoree: Tinamarie Estes-Washington

“I’ve had patients say that they didn’t want me to be their caregiver simply because I’m African American, and I never want anybody to experience that or feel that way.”

2022 40 Under 40 Honoree: Dr. Natalie Gentile

“I try to be very active as a pillar in the community because so often I think that people are separated from and distrustful of the medical community because there’s so many barriers between us.”

2022 40 Under 40 Honoree: Deanna Grandstaff

“After so many years, I’ve seen the magic in children’s eyes when they’re part of something that’s bigger than themselves. And that moment drives me.”

2022 40 Under 40 Honoree: Donta Green

"We believe every person should have the opportunity to develop their skills, uncover their talents, and have careers where they can thrive."

2022 40 Under 40 Honoree: Joseph Hall

“We need culture, which I say is the soul of the community, and art to really express that soul and to grapple with issues in that soul.”

2022 40 Under 40 Honoree: Robert Edward Healy III

“My heroes are Roberto Clemente, Mario Lemieux and also Fred Rogers. So I believe in being a good neighbor and being helpful whenever you can.”

2022 40 Under 40 Honoree: Sharell Johnson

“I hope to help a woman feel empowered and know that, although there's obstacles, she can always prevail.”

2022 40 Under 40 Honoree: Donald Jones Sr.

“My dream is leaving my legacy for my son to finish what I started and do what I'm doing — changing lives, helping guys and boys make better life decisions, as citizens, not just at work.”

2022 40 Under 40 Honoree: Miracle Jones

“We’re all impacted by each other’s actions. The best way for us to build a community safety network is to know each other, support each other and build each other up.”

2022 40 Under 40 Honoree: Noah R. Jordan

“I feel an obligation to take the natural skills and opportunities I’ve been given to try to help others — and make the kind of community that I would want to live in and want future generations to be a part of.”

2022 40 Under 40 Honoree: Dr. Yasaswi Kislovskiy

“I feel very dear toward Pittsburgh as a city to protect and find friendship in. I hope the work that I do invites people to see each other as their neighbors and friends and colleagues.”

2022 40 Under 40 Honoree: Suzie Lachut

“My way of paying this gift forward is to make sure that the light shines on the people that I believe in most.”

2022 40 Under 40 Honoree: Anya Lernatovych

“If you have a dream, you go after it. Despite the fact that you’re an immigrant coming from a different country, it's all achievable.”

2022 40 Under 40 Honoree: Tanisha Long

“I can’t imagine seeing other people suffering and knowing I have things that can lessen [it] and not doing that. I want others to adopt that ideology — don’t stay silent when you see suffering.”

2022 40 Under 40 Honoree: Monica Malik

“My goal is to make some kind of an impact. Whether it’s program design, assisting a community benefit or connecting individuals with resources, I try to leave a positive impact for the day.”

2022 40 Under 40 Honoree: Sandra Munotyei Matoushaya

“A lot can be done if we come together. I want to be a bridge for people to understand different cultures and their role in this world and what they can fulfill in life.”

2022 40 Under 40 Honoree: Michael R. McLaughlin Jr.

“Doing something like being a resource for somebody that has a question or making a positive difference is a goal for all of us when we come in.”

2022 40 Under 40 Honoree: Ayisha Morgan-Lee

“I’d like to leave a legacy with the students that we’ve touched to be able to say they had the opportunity to learn and study about themselves as Black girls and boys.”

2022 40 Under 40 Honoree: Dontae Sherron Payne

“I think our Black male youth need positive Black male role model. I try my best to carry myself at a higher standard to provide that to the community as much as possible.”

2022 40 Under 40 Honoree: Lillian Rafson

“Every day I hope to bring a little bit of joy to our travelers and to help Americans travel the country with an open mind.”

2022 40 Under 40 Honoree: Andrea M. Robinson

“Nobody wrote a handbook for me. I’m trying to write that handbook for my siblings, but also for young Black girls who look like me.”

2022 40 Under 40 Honoree: Jessica Rogowicz

“At the end of my life — which hopefully is a very long time from now — I just want to leave this earth knowing that I’ve had a more positive impact on it than a negative one.”

2022 40 Under 40 Honoree: Larissa Russo

“I wanted to create a space that enabled people to come together to make meaningful change.”

2022 40 Under 40 Honoree: Jessica Semler

“Changing the world can feel impossible, but seeing that you can transform your backyard is invigorating.”

2022 40 Under 40 Honoree: Andréa Stanford

“Employees are culture carriers for our values and behaviors, which define who we are, how we act and how we work together.”

2022 40 Under 40 Honoree: Dr. Mallory Strickland Ciuksza

“If they can’t feed themselves, they won’t care much about their high blood pressure. It’s all intimately connected.”

2022 40 Under 40 Honoree: F. Connelly Thieman

“Anybody who is passionate about Pittsburgh knows that having the arts flourishing is a critical piece of a thriving city.”

2022 40 Under 40 Honoree: The Rev. Marco A. Tinor

“I want to minister to the whole person — their spiritual health, physical health, mental health. I want to empower people in every aspect of their lives.”

2022 40 Under 40 Honoree: Irving Torres

“I am drawing upon my previous experiences, interjecting my own experiences as an Afro-Latino, speaking from the heart.”

2022 40 Under 40 Honoree: Dr. Divya Venkat

“Everyone is human. The only thing we can do is make Pittsburgh better for everyone.”

2022 40 Under 40 Honoree: Yuanyou Sunny Yang

“It adds value to the business, to the community, to the organization to have a different perspective and share where you come from.”