From a forensic counselor, medical researcher and sustainability-minded chef to the co-founder of a music entertainment company, get ready to meet the Class of 2026. While this year’s 40 Under 40 honorees have careers and accomplishments as varied as their backgrounds, they all have something vital in common — the impact they’re making on Pittsburgh.
Now in its 28th year, the 40 Under 40 program, sponsored by Pittsburgh Magazine and PUMP, drew hundreds of nominations. A 15-member independent judging panel — made up of business, health-care, nonprofit and community leaders, as well as former 40 Under 40 honorees — selected the honorees based on their career achievements and service to the community.
In September, the class of 2026 came together for a photo shoot at Kinsey Events Warehouse, a 1930s-era former industrial space in Oakdale noted for its rustic elegance. Among the historic elements are a 20-ton overhead crane, rust-green steel columns and original steel windows.
By Aakanksha Agarwal, Ollie Gratzinger, Charlotte Shields-Rossi and Meg St-Esprit
Photos By Laura Petrilla | Hair By The John Vella Salon
2026 40 Under 40 Honoree: Chauncey T. Alexander (34)
“It is not my job to be in charge of the room but to facilitate decision making in such a way that new leaders emerge.”
2026 40 Under 40 Honoree: Kenise Batts (39)
“Challenges are inevitable; however, if you view setbacks as lessons instead of losses, that adversity will help shape you into the next leader that Pittsburgh needs.”
2026 40 Under 40 Honoree: Matthew Berwick (39)
“Some of the most impactful work I have done came from challenges I once viewed as obstacles.”
2026 40 Under 40 Honoree: Jennifer Bourne (36)
“Some of the most rewarding moments in my career have come from watching an idea turn into something that helps people work better, make better decisions, or solve problems they couldn't solve before.”
2026 40 Under 40 Honoree: Donminika Brown (38)
“I hope to continue helping build a Pittsburgh that is connected, accessible, and full of opportunity.”
2026 40 Under 40 Honoree: David M. Carroll (38)
“Growing the future in Pittsburgh is a no-brainer.”
2026 40 Under 40 Honoree: Janelle Crisp (39)
“Dignity fuels motivation and empowerment reduces recidivism.”
2026 40 Under 40 Honoree: William Dzombak (38)
“I believe there isn't one day or one thing that can change anything overnight. I believe it’s the culmination of just constantly trying things and networking.”
2026 40 Under 40 Honoree: Fei Fang (37)
“I hope my students learn to look beyond the algorithm itself and think about the entire process required to make AI genuinely useful and responsible in the real world.”
2026 40 Under 40 Honoree: Kayla Frattini (38)
“I want to help build a Pittsburgh where inclusion is less about creating separate opportunities and more about finding ways for people of all abilities to participate, belong and pursue the goals that matter to them.”
2026 40 Under 40 Honoree: Christopher A. Galarza (36)
“I really enjoy being a beginner at something and being reminded that growth requires patience, repetition and a willingness to get things wrong.”
2026 40 Under 40 Honoree: Caily Grube (36)
“I want someone to see an executive director in a blazer picking up litter and rethink what they assumed this work looks like, and who it’s for.”
2026 40 Under 40 Honoree: Christopher N. Hansen (39)
“That’s the impact I want, not a single headline, but a thousand small ones I’ll never get to read.”
2026 40 Under 40 Honoree: Patrick Joyal (35)
“Personally, success means the people I love can count on me — and that I still find the world interesting and unfinished.”
2026 40 Under 40 Honoree: Matt Katase (36)
“Planting roots is a safe bet. Thinking long-term and seeing the work through is respected here.”
2026 40 Under 40 Honoree: Demi Kolke (39)
“I tried to use my position for good, and use that positioning to benefit the community.”
2026 40 Under 40 Honoree: Jaime Martinez (24)
“The best leaders I've known make the people around them bigger.”
2026 40 Under 40 Honoree: Chris Maury (39)
“There’s real meaningful value in having a local media property that is able to bring local attention to the local community.”
2026 40 Under 40 Honoree: Natalie McGuier (38)
“It has been said by many people in different ways, but I'm just trying to leave the world a bit better than how I found it.”
2026 40 Under 40 Honoree: Amanda McQuillan (36)
“Ambition does not have to mean choosing achievement over presence.”
2026 40 Under 40 Honoree: Tasha Miller
“I want to continue growing as a leader for the region and country to specifically make technology and STEM accessible to all people and entities.”
2026 40 Under 40 Honoree: Alisa Omelchenko (31)
“Pittsburgh has such a strong scientific and medical community, and I think there’s a real opportunity to build more bridges between that work and the broader public.”
2026 40 Under 40 Honoree: Molly Onufer (38)
“Treat others how you want to be treated; every person deserves respect; do good; leave everything better than you found it.”
2026 40 Under 40 Honoree: Danielle Oriola (32)
“Pittsburgh is a city of pockets. If you stumble into the right one, it can change you.”
2026 40 Under 40 Honoree: Moisés Padilla (39)
“Rely on your community, and if you don’t have one yet, build one. Then make room for others to join it. That applies whether you grew up in Pittsburgh or moved here, as I did.”
2026 40 Under 40 Honoree: Martin Piazza (38)
“I want to carry that tradition forward through surgical expertise, lasting relationships with families and research that helps build better treatments for the future.”
2026 40 Under 40 Honoree: Kate Rosenzweig (33)
“I was a little embarrassed about my knitting obsession for a long time, and I wish I'd known that being loud about what you love works like a magnet.”
2026 40 Under 40 Honoree: Zena Ruiz (39)
“Sometimes leadership means asking better questions, connecting people who aren’t talking to one another, or being willing to challenge the way something has always been done.”
2026 40 Under 40 Honoree: Aaron Siegel (38)
“Advocacy for women’s health should not be an exception among men; it should be the standard.”
2026 40 Under 40 Honoree: James Snow (35)
“There is something deeply meaningful to me about helping create and care for places that belong to everyone.”
2026 40 Under 40 Honoree: Kate L. Stoy (39)
“I am where I am today because of the people who invested in me along the way.”
2026 40 Under 40 Honoree: Alexander Sundermann (35)
“Scientists and clinicians need to meet people where they already are online, so that false information doesn’t get there first.”
2026 40 Under 40 Honoree: Alicia Tavani (39)
“The physical part is important, but the life-skill training, discipline, honesty, self-esteem, belief, communication and respect is what shapes people’s lives.”
2026 40 Under 40 Honoree: Robyn Tedder (39)
“I want to do meaningful work, lead well, be present for the people I love and have enough space to continue growing into the person I want to become.”
2026 40 Under 40 Honoree: Tierra Thorne (36)
“You can have multiple gifts and actually use all of them.”
2026 40 Under 40 Honoree: Sony Ton-Aime (35)
“Storytelling is the way we make sense of the world. Language differentiates us from other animals, but it is storytelling that makes [us] human.”
2026 40 Under 40 Honoree: Rriccardy Volcy (39)
“I picture a 14-year-old arriving in the United States from Haiti with no idea this version of his life was available to him.”
2026 40 Under 40 Honoree: Alaina Webber (35)
“Knowing and being known come through time. Relationships form with commitment.”
