20 Under 40

This year’s honorees serve, lead, give and inspire. Take a glimpse into the lives of these young leaders.

LINDSEY DREILING, 34
“I am passionate about engaging communities and building the necessary pipelines to feed the aviation ecosystem in Kansas.”

ERIC MAYDEW, 34
“Fail forward. Understanding that failure is not fatal; rather an opportunity to learn and be better for it.”

LA MANDA BROYLES, 32
“I know that in order to make an impact on those around me, I must be willing to serve in whatever capacity meets the need that is presented.”

SHANAÉ HOLMAN, 32
“I walk in the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and I hope to leave a legacy that organizers who come after me can live out for the common good of the people.”

SGT. CODY BURGER, 32
“Leadership can be extremely stressful. Don’t lose your sense of humor and laugh when appropriate.”

WHITNEY CASEMENT, 32
“Lead with confidence, but also with humility. People who follow you need to be able to trust in your decision-making, but to also believe that you are human and care about them.

TIFFANY NOLLER, 39
“Be humble. You will not know all of the answers and that is ok!”

J. BO TURNEY, 38
“A leader needs to understand where a team member is, both intellectually and emotionally, in order
to inspire and set the team member up for a successful experience.”

CRAIG BARNES, 31
“Ensure team members understand that your goal as a leader is to help them align their personal and professional goals to the bene t of the team and organization.”

ALICIA VANWALLAGHEN, 35
“Incredible things happen when your team feels heard, their contributions are valued, and they are contributing to the final outcome.”

MELINDA NEUMAN, 33
“My first day at Advisors Excel, I was told ‘if you don’t know the answer, simply say you don’t know and that you’ll find the answer.’ Honesty is always the right answer.”

DAMON PARKER, 38
“Leadership is recognizing that everyone around you is as powerful as you, as brilliant as you, and has the same capacity for greatness.”

SHANNA SIMPSON, 39
“Learn how to lead your staff as a team, but also how to lead each individual, since people are all so different.”

AARON FREEMAN, 36
“When a leader can admit their mistakes and be honest, it creates an opportunity to earn respect, strengthen their team and lead by example.”

AUBREY COUFAL, 36
“Lead by example but do not be afraid to raise the heat. You weren’t born a leader, there were many that helped pave your path. Be grateful.”

TRACY DURAN, 33
“There are a lot of hard decisions to make in leadership, but if we can listen to both our heart and our brain, then we can’t go wrong.”

TYLER LEVIER, 34
“My motivation comes from people who have invested their time and belief in me as a person; whether they be family, friends or mentors.”

OFFICER TIMOTHY BELL, 29
“I hope I leave behind a legacy of kindness and forgiveness that lives on in my family and children that I mentor.”

CHRISTY CLASSI, 39
“In order to achieve anything in life you must have a willingness to push forward, take risks, make the tough decisions and persevere through challenging times.”

JOSHUA BARR, 31
“Learn to be a servant leader and don’t be afraid to admit when you make a mistake.”