The Jayhawk Area Council’s 20 Under 40 recognizes 20 Topeka-area professionals under age 40 from a wide range of fields, including aviation, banking, health care, law and public affairs. Here, they share how they got where they are and what matters to them outside of work.

Today, the city’s only female gastroenterologist works at KMC’s Gastroenterology and Endoscopy Center at 2200 SW Sixth Ave.

After more than two decades of marriage and years of building businesses, they have found that being partners does not require doing everything side by side. Sometimes partnership means knowing when to step in, and when to step back.

For Matt and Ashley Cobb, entrepreneurship is less about owning a business than it is about building a life together: one risk, one idea and one goal at a time.

Every time you choose a locally owned business, you're doing more than supporting a store, restaurant or service provider. You're supporting local jobs, strengthening our economy and helping create a community where businesses and families can thrive.

For some customers, the journey to Cycle Zone Powersports on Highway 24 begins with a motorcycle. For others, it starts with a side-by-side, a lawn mower, a generator or a piece of equipment they never imagined they would own.

As she considered the shopping options available in Topeka, she saw an opportunity for something a little different: a boutique with Western roots that wasn’t exclusively Western.

A sense of fun is easy to find at The Market at MacVicar, located at 10th and MacVicar in Topeka. With more than 40 vendors and 50 booths, the shop offers an eclectic mix of antiques, vintage items, collectibles, home décor, jewelry, handbags, gifts and handmade crafts.

Picture a business owner who drives 10,000 business miles every year. At 2026 IRS rates, that is more than $7,000 in potential deductions. Should the owner use a personal vehicle and have the business reimburse the mileage? Or should the business buy a vehicle for the owner to drive?

The computer, airplane and cellphone became part of everyday life because people kept investing, experimenting and finding better ways to serve customers. Data centers support the next stage of that process.

Casey Richardson serves as general manager and director of operations at West Ridge Mall, where she oversees property operations and plays an active role in the mall’s ongoing redevelopment.

Alex Orel is founder and principal of Citadel Public Affairs, a Topeka-based public affairs firm he launched in 2025.

Andrew Lindeman is currently chief lending officer at Envista Federal Credit Union. He started in banking nearly 20 years ago as a teller at a community bank in Bolivar, Missouri, then moved to Springfield for roles in loan administration and credit analysis.

Melissa Deister, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, is a nurse practitioner at The Refinery Medical Aesthetics in Topeka, specializing in functional medicine, hormone optimization and medical aesthetics.

Dylan Cox is a junior Salesforce architect at Advisors Excel, where he has spent more than nine years building technology solutions and sustainable processes that support the organization’s growth.

Blake Ramsey is a lifelong Topeka resident and community leader who serves as commercialization specialist at Reser’s Fine Foods, evaluating new products and supporting process improvement.

Christine Caplinger is the owner of Caplinger Law and Verity Title. She has been a licensed attorney for six years and specializes in business, real estate and construction law.