The Greater Shreveport Chamber announced Monday, the 40 Under Forty Class of 2022. “These honorees bring bold, fresh, and innovative perspectives to their fields, setting the bar for community engagement and activism,” said Carly Koen, YPI Executive Committee Chair and Vice President of External Relations for United Way of Northwest Louisiana.

This distinction is brought to the area by the Young Professionals Initiative of Northwest Louisiana, a program of the Greater Shreveport Chamber. YPI exists to create a network of community leaders under 40 to enhance the development of Northwest Louisiana.

40 Under Forty Awards honors forty professionals under the age of 40 who have excelled in their careers, education, professional development, community leadership and volunteer efforts. Out of these 40 honorees, one will receive the Young Professional of the Year Award at the 40 Under Forty Awards Gala on Dec. 2, at Sam's Town Hotel & Casino.

“We are excited to honor the newest class of young professionals who are changing the shape of Northwest Louisiana,” said Koen.

This year YPI saw record high numbers for nominees and applicants. Liz Crews, YPI 40 Under Forty Chair and Website Manager for the Shreveport-Bossier Convention and Tourist Bureau said, "It was extremely difficult for our selection committee to pick just 40 honorees for this year’s class! We are so thrilled to celebrate these exceptional honorees and to spotlight their extraordinary contributions to our community.”

Read: Jessica Comegys named 2020 Young Professional of the Year at 40 Under Forty Awards

2022 40 Under Forty honorees:

• Shannon Ali, Bossier Parish Schools & Daytime Playtime LLC

• Billy Anderson, Power Coalition for Equity and Justice

• Darlenna Atkins-Davenport, Louisiana State University Shreveport

• Jody J. Bluitt, Williams Financial Advisors - WFA

• Brett Brown, Biomedical Research Foundation of Northwest Louisiana (BRF) - EAP Division

• Nichole Buckle, Carmouche, Bokenfohr, Buckle and Day, PLLC

• Claire Childs, Vintage Realty Company

• Jutorrean Davis, United States District Courts, Western District of Louisiana

• Walton Gaskins, Community Bank of Louisiana

• Ebony Gourrier, The Department of the Air Force and Defense Health Agency

• Emily Hamann, Social Butterfly Advertising & Design, LLC | American Rose Society

• Tierra Heard, Overton Brooks Veteran Affairs Medical Center

• Jonathan Hodge, H & H Foldings, H & H Field Services, H & H Operating, NWLA Investment Properties

• Brooke Huff, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Ally Real Estate / The Brooke Huff Team

• Alonzo Jackson, Alonzo P. Jackson Jr. Attorney at Law

• Marie Johnson-Watts, Overton Brooks VA Medical Center  Tricia Jowell, Volunteers of America North Louisiana

• Chase Kauffman, BancorpSouth Bank

• Jeffrey Kerst, Kerst & Caskey Family Dentistry

• Andrea Kimble, Etheredge Industrial Services

• Dr. Justin Lord-Stephens, Louisiana State University - Shreveport (LSUS)

• Narita Loyd-Goff, Center for Disease Control Foundation, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Pennsylvania Bureau of Infectious Disease

• Erica McCain, Dress for Success Shreveport -Bossier

• Michael Melerine, Seabaugh & Sepulvado, LLC

• Elizabeth Miller, Shreveport Symphony Orchestra

• Courtney Miller, North Bossier Counseling, CORP

• Breunka Moon, Southern University at Shreveport

• Sandra Page, The Law Offices of Sandra James Page, LLC.

• John Person, Nelson and Hammons, APLC

• Audrius Reed, Audrius M. Reed, Attorney at Law, LLC

• Alexander Richardson, Bossier Arts Council

• Samantha Roberts, LSU Health Sciences Foundation - Shreveport

• Tiffany Sandifer, Bossier Parish Community College

• Benjamin Simmons, Youree Drive Middle School

• Jenny Traweek, Benton Middle School

• Tamna Wangjam, LSU Health Shreveport

• Vanessa Wilcox, USAF

• Sarah Wilkes Thompson, Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality

• Cassandra Williams, Louisiana State University Shreveport

• Laura Woodham, Ochsner LSU Health

More: More than the first woman: Meet Barksdale's new B-52 squadron commander

Makenzie Boucher is a reporter with the Shreveport Times. Contact her at mboucher@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Who are the Shreveport Chamber of Commerce 40 under 40 nominees?