2016 Topeka's Top "20 Under 40"
Each spring, members of the greater Topeka community are invited to submit nominations for the 20 Under 40 award, and then nominees are sent an invitation to formally apply for the honor. Along with their application, they must submit two letters of recommendation. A selection committee of more than 20 Topeka community leaders then spends countless hours reviewing the submissions. Each year the program receives more than 200 nominations and more than 100 applications. Narrowing the list to the top 20 honorees out of such a large pool of worthy candidates each year has become an increasingly difficult task. On the following pages, meet the 2016 Topeka’s Top 20 Under 40 honorees.
Tom Hagen, Capitol Federal®
Adrienne Olejnik, Rossville Community Library
Elizabeth Lenherr, Advisors Excel
Trey George, Topeka Housing Authority, Inc.
Ashley Charest, Greater Topeka Chamber of Commerce
Lissa Staley, Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library
Andy Vogel, Young Life
Missy Lackey, US Bank
Justin Vest, Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office
Enedina Patch, Stormont Vail Health
Jammie Serrano, Advisors Excel
Matt Dinkel, Security Benefit Life
Lacee Ebert, Barbara’s Conservatory of Dance- Ballet Midwest
Megan Jones, Jones Advisory Group, LLC
Brooks Pettit, Vaerus Aviation, Inc.
Jessica Lehnherr, CASA of Shawnee County
Jana Tenbrink, Stormont Vail Health
John Paul Washburn, Washburn Law Office, LLC and The Washburn Mediation Company, LLC
Dustin Dick, USD 501 -Topeka West High School
Sarah Lucero, USD 501 – Scott Dual Language School
"Leadership is a key component taught and refined through the Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Venturing and Exploring programs of the Boy Scouts of America. What better way to demonstrate this to the boys and girls in our programs, than to highlight those in OUR community making a difference every day? By recognizing 20 outstanding leaders each year, we are able to give the youth of our program someone they can relate to, someone they may see in the grocery store, and someone they can look up to. In addition, the event raises the funds necessary to help keep this life changing program available to ALL youth in our area."
—Erin Aldridge, Development Director at Jayhawk Area Council
