Class of 2020

Maithili Appalwar, IE 18

CEO | Avana

After learning that inconsistent rainfall was the leading cause of suicide among farmers in a district in India, Maithili Appalwar used her passion for manufacturing and affordable design to address their situation. Through her company, Avana, she’s helped more than 10,000 farmers conserve 50 billion liters of water with an eco-friendly polymer lining that helps harvest rainwater and create artificial ponds on farms. After just one year using the liner, she found that income for the farmers increased by 98.7%. “I want my legacy to be a world where every farmer lives with dignity and is empowered to create a world that they want to live in,” Maithili says.

Fun fact: She once followed a professor around until he gave her a waiver to enroll in his Medieval Literature class.

Banafsheh Azizi, IA 04, MS IA 08

Chief Operating Officer | Bayt Abdullah Children’s Hospice (BACCH) and Kuwait Association for the Care of Children in Hospital (KACCH)

Through her work, Banafsheh Azizi provides a sense of normalcy to children with terminal illnesses so that kids can be kids no matter the health challenges they’re facing. She is the COO of Bayt Abdullah Children’s Hospice, the only hospice in the Middle East that provides pediatric palliative and psychosocial care for children with life-threatening and life-limiting conditions. She also leads The Kuwait Association for the Care of Children in Hospital, which serves more than 60,000 children, siblings, and parents in hospitals across Kuwait. Banafsheh is proudest of her work building a volunteer program with the U.S. military in Kuwait. Thousands of U.S. servicemen and servicewomen provide play for hospitalized children and their families in Kuwait. “The program puts aside the differences in politics, religion, culture, and joins people together based on their profound desire to make a difference,” she says.

Fun fact: On her bucket list is having a “foodie vacation” in Italy.

Kabir Barday, CS 09

CEO | OneTrust

Kabir Barday was in the final stages of opening a pizza franchise before he switched his plans to a different dough-making endeavor—OneTrust. He’s now the founder and CEO of the largest and most widely used privacy, security, and trust technology company in the world. After graduating from Tech, Kabir became an early employee at AirWatch, a mobile security software company that was founded by fellow Tech alum John Marshall. “I am not sure there could be a greater impact on my success than Georgia Tech,” Kabir says. “[Tech] is the reason I got my first job at AirWatch and learned what I needed to know to build OneTrust. Georgia Tech is the talent pool we hire from. It’s my network of friends. My investors are involved in Georgia Tech. And even my fiancé is an alum,” he says.

Fun Fact: He once ran with the bulls in Spain and got leveled by a bull.

Dhaval Bhandari, PhD ChE 10

Planning Advisor | ExxonMobil

Dhaval Bhandari has contributed to significant advancements in sustainability as well as in addressing the world’s dual energy challenge. His research has been at two of the nation’s top energy-focused industrial labs: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering and General Electric Global Research. Dhaval has filed more than 20 U.S. patents and applications. And at 26, he became one of the youngest principal investigator of a federal grant, leading a 15-member team with a $3 million grant from the Department of Energy. At Tech, Dhaval was most inspired by those around him including his PhD advisor Prof. Bill Koros. “I learned from him that often scientific pursuits are a lonely journey and it takes time for the people to understand and appreciate your contributions. It is in tough times like these that one should keep faith in their work, choose happiness, and treat every day as a learning opportunity,” Dhaval says.

Fun Fact: He never gives a “yes” or “no” answer immediately—not even to his 4-year-old son. He prefers thinking deeply about any question before answering.

Sheereen Brown, IE 13, MS HS 14

Senior Business Analyst | The Task Force for Global Health

Sheereen Brown likes to say that her work is about getting the right information (data) to the right people at the right time via the right tech to make the right decisions. As senior business analyst for The Task Force for Global Health, Sheereen travels the world from Johannesburg to Geneva to fulfill the organization’s mission to eliminate disease and protect populations. Working in partnership with WHO and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Sheereen helps bring innovative solutions to global health challenges. She supported the establishment of an outpatient care system at the largest national hospital in Tanzania to reduce patient wait times and implemented a cloud-based solution to equitably allocate government healthcare workers in sub-Saharan African countries. For inspiration, Sheereen looks to her two sisters, also Georgia Tech alumni, who have used their experience at Tech as launching pads to successful careers in the sciences and art. “Our parents raised us to be tenacious women. Tech reinforced that tenacity, and I’m proud of what my sisters have accomplished with it. I strive to be like them,” she says.

Fun Fact: This jet-setting humanitarian dreams of becoming a kindergarten art teacher in retirement.

Jasmine Burton, ID 14

CEO, Executive Director & Founder | Wish for WASH

Jasmine Burton is not afraid to break the silence surrounding taboo topics like toilets in order to bring innovative solutions to global water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH). In 2014, she was part of the first all-female team to win the Georgia Tech InVenture Prize competition for a modular toilet that was designed to help the nearly 2.6 billion people who lacked access to hygienic bathrooms. As the founder of Wish for WASH, which seeks to bring innovation to sanitation and hygiene with a gender equity lens, Jasmine has led iterative toilet innovation pilots and research across sub-Saharan Africa and in Atlanta-based resettled refugee communities. “I identify as a social impact designer who seeks to utilize design thinking and business acumen to build a more inclusive world,” she says.

Fun fact: She’s summited Mount Kilimanjaro and is a traditional dancer of the Nanticoke Nation with the tribal name Bright Smiling Sage.

Joy Buolamwini, CS 12

Founder | Algorithmic Justice League

Just like people have biases, artificial intelligence can harbor its own biases built into its systems. Computer scientist and poet of code Joy Buolamwini uses art and research to illuminate the social implications of AI. She founded the Algorithmic Justice League to raise awareness of the impacts of the technology, equip advocates with empirical research, empower the most impacted communities, and galvanize researchers, policymakers, and industry practitioners to mitigate the biases in AI and the resulting harm. Joy advises students to not be discouraged if others don’t immediately share their vision. “From the start of forming AJL and exploring this research, I had interesting pushback… However, I knew biases in AI was an important area to explore,” she says. Those same people have now become supporters of Joy’s work. “Sometimes you have to take the headwinds when others don’t yet see your vision,” she says.

Fun Fact: She’s a former pole vaulter with aspirations for the Olympics.

Marcus Cappelli, AE 03, MS AE 04, PhD AE 07

Chief Engineer, Black Hawk Modernization | Lockheed Martin

As the chief engineer responsible for modernizing the nation’s fleet of Black Hawk helicopters, Marcus Cappelli is well aware that he’s found his dream job. And, it’s not only the ultramodern upgrades like making the aircraft autonomous or equipping it with bigger engines to reach the peaks of Afghanistan for rescue missions that inspire him. (Although he and his team are making those upgrades, too.) Sometimes, the most meaningful changes are much simpler, he says. “The No. 1 request from our soldiers is for a simple battery charger under their seat, so they can stay in the field just a few hours longer,” he says. The result is a Black Hawk helicopter ready to fulfill any future mission. “Every day thousands of enlisted soldiers will get into my product and possibly have to do it putting their life on the line for my freedom. That is the very definition of committed, a commitment that we all need to match,” Marcus says.

Fun fact: He loves spending weeknights in the kitchen with his two children inventing new recipes to cook.

Arnab Chakraborty, BME 13

Chief Technology Officer, Co-Founder | Flow MedTech International Corp.

Coming into Georgia Tech, Arnab Chakraborty wanted to be a cardiovascular surgeon. But it was through Tech’s biomedical engineering program that he realized an even bigger calling. Now, he’s developing medical devices with the potential to save thousands of lives. After graduation, he co-founded Flow MedTech, which led to the development of a heart implant that reduces the risk of stroke in atrial fibrillation patients. The biomedical startup has been recognized internationally for its innovations in the field. Arnab and his team decided early on to seek out and learn from other entrepreneurs. “Our team has found out how rare it is to find people who’ve grown their businesses from nothing and truly had to learn, experience, and assemble each piece of the business puzzle to succeed. I’ve loved learning from them,” he says.

Fun Fact: Aside from being an engineer, his passion for fashion, art, and design has led to scholarships to participate in related courses from the Parson’s New School of Design.

Allen Chang, BME 08

Project Engineer | NuVasive

The bionic man of the future may be closer than we realize thanks to Allen Chang. Allen co-founded Vertera Spine, the first company to develop a patented process for creating a porous biomaterial similar to bone. In 2017, Vertera Spine was acquired by NuVasine. Since then, Allen has continued his work as a project engineer. To date, three spinal fusion product families have launched featuring the synthetic bone that he created. He is continuing to develop the technology with new products that are transforming spine surgery and improving patients’ lives.

Fun fact: He served in AmeriCorps NCCC, primarily in the post-Katrina region of the Gulf Coast.

Braxton Davis, EE 06

Patent Attorney | Amin, Turocy & Watson, LLP

Georgia Tech is often a springboard for successful careers in law. Braxton Davis, who leveraged his electrical engineering background for a career in patent law, could have simply stopped there. Instead, Braxton used his experience to start the Patent Institute of Training to teach promising engineers how to be successful patent agents and attorneys like himself. “Because a law degree does not translate into practical knowledge, many law graduates in the patent field have difficulty finding employment,” he says. Braxton’s training has helped numerous students translate their engineering and law degrees into successful careers. Braxton also established the National Council on Patent Practicum and founded a tech startup, Metric Mate, where he’s applied his background in electrical engineering to develop connected devices in the fitness space.

Fun fact: Braxton matriculated through the Dual Degree Engineering Program where he received a degree in physics from Morehouse College and a degree in electrical engineering from Tech.

Shawna Khouri, BME 14

Managing Director, Biolocity | Emory University & Georgia Institute of Technology

Shawna Khouri helps unlock the potential of innovative medical technologies by ushering them from idea to commercialization. As the managing director of Biolocity, a joint incubator from Emory University and Georgia Tech, Shawna has screened more than 250 technologies in devices, diagnostics, therapeutics, cell manufacturing, and health IT. Under her leadership, the organization has funded 42 technologies resulting in 22 startups, two licenses to industry, and three products currently on the market. She also coaches national clients in commercialization including the National Institutes of Health, and she has mentored NIH-backed projects in business development and strategy. “For every project and startup I work with, I get inspired by the patients…whose lives will be saved, and pain alleviated by bringing these innovations into the clinic,” she says.

Fun Fact: She fell off a skateboard outside the Klaus building on her way back from a lab and ended up needing several dental implants. “This is unofficially a world record for the nerdiest skateboarding injury,” she says.

Ryan Graciano, CS 04

Co-founder & CTO | Credit Karma

Today, Credit Karma has more than 100 million members, but co-founder Ryan Graciano and his partners faced a rocky future when they started the company in 2007. The financial crisis was just around the corner and they experienced slow growth as they tried to survive on less than a million dollars in funding. “VCs were closing the door on us upwards of 40 times,” Ryan says. “Yet, we kept pushing forward.” That drive helped shape Credit Karma into what it is today: a multi-pronged financial resource platform offering free credit reports and resources to address nearly every aspect of financial life from mortgages to tax filings and savings. In the beginning, Ryan was the sole engineer. Since then, the organization has scaled to a team of hundreds.

Fun Fact: Growing up, he wanted to pursue a career in comedy writing. His ambitions shifted toward technology after his neighbor showed him a computer program that blew his mind.

Robert “Bobby” Henebry, ME 03, MBA 06

Partner | DM Capital Management, LLC

After a successful 11 years with SeaBridge Investment Advisors, Bobby Henebry decided to step away to reinvent himself and found new opportunities he couldn’t have imagined at the time. As an early adopter in cryptocurrencies, Bobby started his own mining operation in 2016. He has since become an internationally recognized speaker on blockchain and cryptocurrencies. He volunteers extensively including at the Middle East Leadership Academy and Central Eurasian Leadership Academy, the Wounded Warrior Project Odysseys, The Global Good Fund, and Girl Power Talk, a women’s empowerment organization working in India and Nigeria. “I have an abundance mindset and I test my entrepreneurial limits to live an impactful life,” Bobby says. Inspired by the universal language of music, he founded the YouTube channel Chord Savvy and has brought his Martin Backpacker travel guitar with him to more than 40 countries. “This guitar ran the songwriting clinic at First Step Academy in Jaipur, India, and played Imagine on a bus in Bulgaria to inspire people from 10 countries to ‘be as one,’” he says. “I am eternally grateful for the opportunity to share music globally and feel the hearts of people through it.”

Fun Fact: He’s officiated four weddings (his younger brother and three good friends—two whom are GT grads).

Gregory Kolovich, EE 04

Co-founder & Chief Medical Officer | OXOS Medical

As an orthopedic surgeon with a background in engineering, Gregory Kolovich launched himself into the burgeoning mobile telemedicine field in 2016 with the invention of the world’s first handheld X-ray device. Gregory and fellow alumnus Evan Ruff, CompE 03, founded OXOS Medical to bring digital radiography to the world. The company proudly employs 24 Georgia Tech engineers. “Georgia Tech is deeply rooted in the startup, entrepreneurial world with countless successful alumni, which provides a huge advantage for us,” he says. In addition to running OXOS Medical, Kolovich is an active orthopedic hand and microsurgeon in Savannah, Ga., and currently serves as the elected president of the Georgia Hand Society.

Fun Fact: He taught himself how to play guitar and piano and has been playing regularly for 20 years. He’s recently started teaching his 7-year-old son to play piano, too.

Christopher Hermann, BME 06, MS ME 11, PhD BioE 12

Founder & CEO | Clean Hands-Safe Hands

Christopher Hermann knows that engineers and healthcare providers don’t always speak the same language. The result can be a well-intentioned medical product that gets lost in translation and fails to deliver for the end-user. The first example that Christopher saw of this was as an undergrad at Tech. He was working closely with a surgeon to develop a new technique for a total knee replacement. “I remember the first time he performed the new procedure and quickly discovered the surgical implants that the engineers designed would not even fit in the incision,” he says. Christopher became a physician with an engineering background to help him provide solutions to bridge that disconnect. In 2008, he turned to healthcare-associated infections and learned that hand hygiene was a major contributor. He started and led a multi-intuitional research consortium (Georgia Tech is a member) that developed the core technology used in Clean Hands – Safe Hands. Using sensors in badges and on sanitizers and soap dispensers, the technology gathers data about handwashing and helps improve hand hygiene in healthcare facilities. Over 10 years, the research team has secured more than eight state and federal research grants totaling more than $3.2 million.

Fun Fact: He has worked as a captain and divemaster in the British Virgin Islands for a company that ran live-aboard sailing and diving programs.

Arush Lal, BA 17

International Consultant | PAHO/World Health Organization

With one of the largest global health challenges upon us, Arush Lal’s experience in global health policy and pandemic preparedness (including with Ebola and Zika) have proved critical to Covid-19 response efforts. Arush works at the WHO Americas Office where he supports Covid-19 efforts by procuring test kits and preventing stockouts of essential medicines and public health supplies worldwide. He’s worked across government and non-government organizations including the U.S. HHS Office for Global Affairs in the Pandemic and Emerging Threats division, IntraHealth International, and The Task Force for Global Health. In addition, he was appointed the youngest member on the board of directors for Women in Global Health. Arush encourages students to embrace change and failure. “In a post-Covid-19 world where institutions and long-held beliefs are shifting, don’t be afraid to change paths and try new opportunities because falling down and getting back up again is part of the journey,” he says.

Fun Fact: He was once a contestant on America’s Got Talent.

Idicula Mathew, BME 17

CEO & Founder | Hera Health Solutions

Idicula Mathew was drawn into Tech’s entrepreneurial community from the start. Although he was an engineering student, he spent much of his time at Tech at the Scheller College of Business soaking in the entrepreneurial spirit of like-minded students. Nearing graduation, he took a senior class project and helped turn it into a medical startup with fellow Tech alumni. As CEO of Hera Health Solutions, Idicula is bringing a first of its kind biodegradable implant for long-acting drug treatments to markets in the U.S. and abroad. The biodegradable implant does not need to be removed, thereby eliminating the expense and complications from removal procedures, which are an issue in the U.S. as well as in countries with fewer healthcare resources. Idicula and his team have already identified several areas where the technology could be useful including in contraception, cancer treatments, and veterinary care.

Fun Fact: He loves to cook and even started on his own quarantine times cookbook, but he absolutely can’t stand the taste or smell of raw onions.

Kathryn Lanier, PhD Chem 17

Director of STEM Education Outreach | Southern Research

Kathryn Lanier is a problem-solver, a doer, and a builder of things never before imagined. She’s also pioneering the first-ever position of director of statewide STEM education outreach programs for Southern Research. Without a playbook of operations, she’s enjoyed the freedom of building a “STEMpire,” that includes everything from deep policy discussions with representatives at the state level to hosting students and teachers in the Southern Research STEM lab in Alabama. At the same time, she can sometimes be found dressed like a cat performing as her alter-ego, The Chemistry Kat, and traveling the state to host STEM pep rallies for hundreds of students. “Middle schoolers inspire me,” Kathryn says. Of course, they can be awkward and smell sometimes, she says, but their resilience is stronger than titanium. And no matter what’s going on in their private lives, they allow themselves to dream. “To live in such a way that you wear your hopes so clearly for the world to see is brave, and it's inspiring.”

Fun Fact: She has a reoccurring dream of getting stuck in the tunnels beneath the Biotech Quad. While it changes each time, her favorite version has been one where she meets and mingles with the legendary George P. Burdell.

Chris Lee, PhD BME 12

Founder | Woodbridge Foundation & Chairman & CEO | Huxley Medical, Inc.

Early in his career, Chris Lee turned down a six-figure consulting job to work at a startup. In the short-term, he says it was a terrible financial decision. But in the long-term, the learning experience was exactly what he needed when he started his first company, Vertera. Now, Chris is a serial entrepreneur in the medical technology field with two successful companies (Vertera and Huxley Medical), which he started with Georgia Tech professors. Beyond his ventures, Chris mentors others who aspire to start their own companies. He serves as an advisor and seed investor for seven healthcare technology startups, four of which were founded by fellow Tech alumni. After the acquisition of his first company, Chris founded Woodbridge Foundation to support students and researchers with starting their own healthcare companies. His advice for students is to study what interests them. “My success started when I ignored the expectations for me and focused only on the opportunities that excited me. It has made all the difference in the world,” he says.

Fun Fact: You would never guess with such an outgoing personality now that he was extremely shy as a child. He began opening up in high school and eventually became social chair and president of his fraternity.

Xiaohang Li, PhD ECE 15

Assistant Professor | King Abdullah University of Science and Technology

Xiaohang Li has made significant contributions to the semiconductor field including in the development of highly efficient and robust ultraviolet LEDs and lasers, which have become critical technologies for killing pathogens amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Among numerous contributions to the semiconductor field, Xiaohang developed the first machine learning software for compound semiconductor devices. The software is being used by more than 60 universities, research institutes, and companies. As a student at Tech, he received the Edison Prize, the highest award for graduate students. Fittingly, Thomas Edison has been an inspiration to Xiaohang since he was a child. “I’ve longed to be an exceptional engineering inventor like him,” Xiaohang says.

Fun Fact: He’s a big fan of the NBA and if he doesn’t have time to watch a game, he still watches the highlights.

Chaunte Lowe, ECON 08

4-Time Olympian and American Record Holder | U.S. Olympic Team

Chaunte Lowe doesn’t strive to just break the mold; she vaults over it leaving it far behind her in the dust. This four-time Olympian’s impressive rise started while she was just a sophomore at Georgia Tech when she made her first Olympic appearance. Her ambitions on the field and in the classroom showed an unparalleled drive even among the Institute’s top student-athletes. Chaunte is a world champion and has broken the American Record three times and is the current American record holder in indoor and outdoor high jump. She’s competed in four Olympic Games and aspires to add a fifth soon. In addition to her athleticism, she has used her personal experiences to raise awareness of breast cancer research, early detection, and eradication. In 2019, she was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer. Despite the diagnosis, she continued to train through surgeries and chemotherapy to stay competitive for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. With the games postponed until next year, she’s maintained her training and she’s determined to pursue her fifth Olympiad and continue to use her voice to bring awareness to breast cancer. “The best gift I can give with my life is helping others find beauty in their own lives,” she says.

Fun Fact: Her husband proposed to her 15 years ago on the Georgia Tech track! She went into labor with their first child during a finals review session for computer science.

Kamil Makhnejia, MBID 15

Co-Founder, COO | Jackson Medical

Starting from an early age, Kamil Makhnejia saw his mother, a skilled nurse, selflessly care for her patients. She set the example for hard work and purpose that led Kamil into the healthcare field and inspired him to find ways to improve healthcare and make the industry safer for patients and staff. In 2016, he helped start Jackson Medical, which grew out of the startup ecosystem at Georgia Tech. Their flagship product, GloShield, has made operating rooms safer for more than 15,000 surgeries and is expected to be involved in 30,000 more this year. With their offices located in Tech Square, Kamil has maintained close connections to campus as a mentor to Tech startups, a guest lecturer at BME Capstone courses, and as an employer offering students internships and full-time positions.

Fun Fact: He’s a bookstore person. Ordering online just won’t do. Perusing the aisles becomes an Easter egg hunt for new and interesting books.

Matthew McDowell, MSE 08

Assistant Professor in the G. W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering and the School of Materials Science and Engineering

Matthew McDowell’s research focuses on next-generation battery technologies used for electric vehicles and electrified aircraft. With his team at Georgia Tech, he specializes in developing innovative experimental techniques that provide a window into the world of how batteries transform and degrade during charge and discharge. This knowledge is critical for engineering batteries that last longer and hold more energy. Since joining the faculty at Georgia Tech in 2015, Matthew’s prolific research has resulted in 72 peer-reviewed publications and more than 50 talks and seminars. In 2019, Matthew received the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), the highest government honor bestowed on an early career scientist or engineer.

Fun Fact: He once hiked across the Sierra Nevada Mountain range in California and then hiked back because he only had one car (this was pre-Uber).

Jennifer McKeehan, IE 05

SVP, Integrated Supply Chain at Peloton

Jennifer McKeehan’s trailblazing career at The Home Depot over the last 15 years has been nothing shy of extraordinary. In 2016, she was named vice president of inventory for all 2,000 U.S. stores and online businesses, responsible for leading a $15 billion portfolio and 250 associates. It’s worth mentioning that at the time she was also the youngest officer and was a working mom with two children. Most recently, Jennifer joined Peloton as SVP to lead their system transformation and supply chain strategy. But, perhaps even more noteworthy than her professional career is her commitment to service. She’s a member of CHOA’s Emerging Leader Committee, which recently raised $639,000 for pediatric cardiology research. She also serves on the Cobb Health Futures Foundation Board. “What I find most energizing, hopeful, and inspirational is when some of the biggest mountains are moved or seemingly ‘impossible’ problems are solved,” Jennifer says.

Fun Fact: She was part of the Yellow Jacket Marching Band in college, which cemented her love for Georgia Tech football and “Game Day!”

Candace Mitchell Harris, CS 11

Co-Founder & CEO | MYAVANA

Candace Mitchell Harris was looking for answers to untangle her haircare questions when she thought about how computer science could provide a solution. Braiding science with technology, Candace created a system that uses artificial intelligence to analyze hair type and texture to provide personalized haircare recommendations. She pitched her idea during Tech’s InVenture Prize competition making it to the semi-finals. A year after graduating from Tech, she was accepted to the Flashpoint accelerator program based in Tech Square. “I received my first seed investment and the rest is history!” Candace says. The technology is now used in her company Myavana, where customers can have their hair analyzed by texture, curl pattern, and overall health and receive specific haircare product recommendations. For her work, she’s been recognized by the Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list as well as earned accolades from leading companies across the beauty industry. “The journey in becoming an industry disruptor and establishing a successful business has come with gaining the courage to break down barriers and overcome obstacles,” Candace says.

Fun Fact: She would love to own a neighborhood restaurant that cultivates community and can be a place where families celebrate their milestones.

Jordan Rackie, Mgt 08

CEO | Keyfactor

In 2019, Jordan Rackie became the youngest CEO appointed by Insight Partners when he was named to lead Keyfactor, a cybersecurity company with global reach, at 33 years old. But leading a large, software company is nothing new to Jordan. “I've been fortunate to be a part of and lead many successful high-growth software businesses since graduating,” he says. Those included QASymphony and Pardot, which was acquired by Salesforce. Jordan’s also heavily involved in Atlanta’s tech community as a volunteer mentor for Techstars, a startup accelerator program, and served on the board of the Technology Association of Georgia for the Sales Leadership Society.

Fun fact: He now knows how to completely navigate his computer using just keyboard shortcuts after accidentally spilling liquid on his laptop during the last three weeks of a study abroad experience.

Ignacio Montoya, MBID 18

Executive Director | HINRI Labs

Ignacio Montoya wants to find the cure for paralysis and get every person in a wheelchair walking again. And, he’s starting with himself. Seven years ago, Ignacio was in a car accident that caused a total spinal injury leaving him physically paralyzed. He woke up three months after the accident determined to walk again despite a bleak prognosis. But, Ingacio has beaten the odds before. At 6 years old, he escaped from Cuba with his family and nothing but the clothes on his back. He beat the odds again becoming a fighter pilot in the U.S. Air Force. And now, with a biomedical engineering degree from Tech, he’s leading HINRI Labs in the research of spinal cord injuries and testing, experimenting, and developing biomedical devices using his own body as a test subject. Ignacio recently became the first person to walk 650 miles in an exoskeleton-orthosis device suspended over a treadmill. He also recently drove the first-ever wheelchair adapted Ford Explorer with a one-handed double-piston joystick from Atlanta to L.A. Through his own body and indomitable determination, Ignacio is proving that recovery from a total spine injury is possible.

Fun fact: With a love for salsa music, he helped create his high school’s first-ever salsa club and wrote songs and performed them in Spanish nightclubs throughout Atlanta.

Evren Ozkaya, PhD IE 08

Founder & CEO | Supply Chain Wizard, LLC

Dealing with the end-to-end operations in today’s global supply chain requires a true wizard like Evren Ozkaya. As the founder and CEO of Supply Chain Wizard, Evren is making pharmaceutical supply chains more secure, and ultimately safer for patients, by reducing the risk of counterfeit drugs with track and trace technologies. But Evren didn’t fall into his consulting career easily. During his last year at Georgia Tech, he forgot to register for an internship course that put him just shy of the full-time requirement for his international student visa. He lost his right to work on campus and in one day, lost his three part-time jobs. “That was probably the worst day of my life at the time, but unbeknownst to me, it created an opportunity,” he says. He studied for consulting interviews every day that month while his visa was reinstated. “I ended up getting multiple offers from top consulting firms and accepted an offer from McKinsey & Company in Atlanta, which forever changed my life and propelled me much faster in my career.”

Fun fact: He considers time his most valuable asset, so he tracks every hour of his time 24/7 to learn how to improve his time management.

Samirkumar Patel, PhD ChE 11

President & CEO | Moonlight Therapeutics

Samirkumar Patel is in awe of the science and technology that powers break-through advancements in medicine. “It’s truly amazing what we can now do for patients,” he says. “These advances give me encouragement on what can be possible, but somehow the tools we have still seem inadequate.” As a scientist, inventor, and entrepreneur, Samirkumar is propelling the next wave of unimaginable medical advancements of the future. While obtaining his PhD from Georgia Tech, he made a discovery in a GT lab that led him to invent a new way to deliver drug treatment into the eye to treat eye diseases. With this technology, he started Clearside Biomedical in 2011. Two years ago, he started his second venture, Moonlight Therapeutics, to develop a treatment for food allergies by targeting drug delivery to the skin’s immune cells using a dermal stamp.

Fun Fact: I like to grow vegetables. I come from a family of farmers and while in India I spent time on the family farm. I feel like my early joy in farming is linked to my later joy in being an entrepreneur/ creator/ builder.

Kathy Pham, CS 07, MS CS 09

Fellow and Faculty at Harvard, Lead of Mozilla Responsible Computer Science

The importance of service has been integral in Kathy Pham’s life and career. “It was instilled in me early on that one can give regardless of how much we have,” she says. Her extensive contributions over the past decade in computer science, technology, leadership, and public service are a testament to her beliefs. With her expertise in computer science, Kathy has led innovative work at Google and Harris Healthcare. In 2014, she was one of the founding members of the U.S. Digital Service, a technology startup at the White House that aimed to bring technologists into government to work on critical technology needs in Healthcare, Veterans Affairs, Defense, Education and more. In recognition of her work, she was invited by First Lady Michelle Obama as her guest to the 2015 State of the Union Address. Kathy is currently a fellow and faculty member at Harvard Kennedy School, Civic Science Fellow at the Rita Allen Foundation, and a fellow at Mozilla, leading an initiative that funds computer science departments across the U.S. to integrate ethics in computing, and co-founding the Mozilla Builders’ Fix-the-Internet Incubator, which invests in people and ideas to improve the internet for all society.

Fun Fact: She finds a book more enjoyable when she reads the ending first.

Nashlie Sephus, MS ECE 10, PhD ECE 14

Applied Science Manager | Amazon AI

Nashlie Sephus focuses on fairness and identifying biases in artificial intelligence for Amazon’s AI initiative. Previously, she was the CTO for Partpic, a visual search for replacement parts, which was acquired by Amazon in November 2016. The technology from Partpic can still be found in the general camera search feature in the Amazon shopping app. Nashlie’s work at Amazon has improved the accuracy and fairness of machine learning services like Amazon Rekognition, which uses machine learning for image and video analysis. Customers like Marinus Analytics are using the service to fight human trafficking. Nashlie is also the CEO and founder of Jackson, Miss.-based nonprofit The Bean Path, which aims to bridge the technology gap by offering free tech office hours at local libraries, scholarships and grants, and youth workshops.

Fun fact: She was a flag football referee as a work-study job as an undergraduate at Mississippi State University.

Maria Soto-Giron, PhD BI 18

Translational Bioinformatics Lead | Solarea Bio

In the U.S., about 10 million Americans are currently living with osteoporosis or osteopenia and the majority are women. For Maria Soto-Giron, that statistic is personal. Her motivation for working in biotech looking for treatments to reduce chronic inflammation is her mother who has rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis. “For more than 30 years she has suffered the serious side effects of the current drugs,” Maria says. In her pursuit at Solarea Bio, a biotech startup, she’s searching for a preventative approach using probiotics and plant fibers from fruits and vegetables as a treatment to reduce chronic inflammation without the negative side effects from drugs currently on the market. In her role leading the bioinformatics team, she created a computational platform to analyze hundreds of microbial genomic components to identify microbial candidates that could result in human health applications. As a Colombian, female scientist, she’s also passionate about increasing access and building STEM opportunities for young girls in Colombia.

Fun fact: She used to play underwater hockey (yes, you can play hockey underwater) back in Colombia.

David Sotto, BME 09, PhD BioE 15

Senior Strategy Officer | Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

At the Gates Foundation, David Sotto has helped shape the design of new and existing strategies across $6 billion in annual investments in service of the world’s most vulnerable populations. David’s focus has been on shaping the design of global health systems in areas of the world with the greatest need and advocating for policies and practices in the U.S. that create upward mobility and economic opportunities for the working class. David offers this advice for students: Learning for the sake of learning or doing for the sake of doing can only take you so far. “I often struggle with striking a healthy balance between seeking knowledge and taking action. However, my proudest moments in life have been when I've learned just enough to be dangerous and did something about,” he says.

Fun Fact: He’s an avid rugby fan, writes poetry, and loves to cook.

Graham Thorsteinson, ChBE 06, MS ChE 07

Chief Technology Officer | Energy One Consulting

With a passion for analyzing complex problems, Graham Thorsteinson has devoted his career to one of the most pressing problems facing the world today: reducing energy use. After leading General Mills’ energy program for nearly 10 years, leading to a reduction in overall energy use by 20% and delivering $25 million in annual savings, Thorsteinson co-founded Energy One Consulting. In 2018, The Association of Energy Engineers awarded Energy One with National Project of the Year for its work improving energy efficiency at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, one of the busiest airports in the world. Thorsteinson’s low capital approach focuses on optimizing existing systems without requiring significant capital upgrades. For instance, at Hartsfield-Jackson, they were able to optimize over 20,000 tons of chillers, 300 large air handlers, and 100,000 lights leading to a reduction in electricity usage by 11% and water usage by 17%. The project has resulted in $11 million in energy cost savings. “Energy efficiency is still one of the most untapped opportunities for significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions and has quick financial paybacks for companies,” he says.

Fun fact: He and his wife have seen five of the seven wonders of the world. Some of his favorite memories traveling include being charged by a Rhino and being tricked out of granola bars by monkeys in Cambodia.

Emily Woods, ME 10

COO & Co-founder | Sanivation

Emily Woods and her co-founder of Sanivation had a bold idea for global sanitation. “If we could treat feces more efficiently than traditional means—turn the treated waste into a product we could sell, we could make a profit from poop,” Emily says. She co-founded Sanivation to do just that. The social enterprise tackles the sanitation crisis in Kenya by partnering with municipalities to turn feces into a sustainable fuel. “We use our proprietary treatment technology to treat waste and transform it into an in-demand fuel,” Emily says. “Then, we sell the briquettes back on the market, creating a financially sustainable and replicable model for sanitation services.” The fuel also helps combat deforestation saving 88 trees per ton. “I would encourage GT students to think outside of the standard box of what people think success is,” she says.

Fun fact: She started playing rugby at Georgia Tech in 2006 and has since played the sport competitively in nine different countries including playing on the National Kenya Women’s Rugby team.

Lauren Troxler, BME 12

Staff R&D Clinical Engineer | Abbott

In five years, Lauren Troxler has already made a significant impact in the healthcare industry as a whole and in thousands of patients’ lives. In just that time, Lauren brought four life-saving products to the market that have led to treatments for more than 100,000 patients worldwide. Her work focuses on developing non-surgical treatment options for patients with leaky heart valves. When a diseased heart valve doesn’t close properly, it can allow blood to flow in the wrong direction causing life-threatening symptoms. At Abbott, her team works to bring devices such as a transcatheter device for patients who cannot undergo surgery and needs treatment to the market. She’s responsible for connecting real-life clinical needs to the product’s design and intended use. Lauren’s interest in cardiovascular health started at Georgia Tech as a researcher in the cardiovascular fluid mechanics lab. “Those four years gave me the confidence and expertise needed for my role at a leading healthcare company. They carved the path towards patenting designs and helping people in need by bringing about some of the world's first non-surgical treatment options for the forgotten tricuspid valve,” she says.

Fun fact: She’s a true crime podcast-junkie and she once kept a cooler full of pig hearts in her apartment ahead of a conference presentation.

Nseabasi Ufot, Psy 02

CEO | New Georgia Project

From corporate lawyer to labor lawyer to lobbyist to community organizer and now nonprofit executive, Nseabasi Ufot has taken an unconventional path. No matter the endeavor though, she never forgot what she learned at Tech—notably, how to apply the scientific method to solve any challenge she faced. “While my formal GT education prepared me to understand cognition and how the human brain works, it also forged my habit of Questioning, Researching, Hypothesizing, Experimenting, Observing, and Communicating Results,” she says. She uses it to answer the smaller questions in life like what haircare products to use, and to answer the larger ones, like what messaging and engagement tactics are most likely to turn a first-time voter into a super voter? At New Georgia Project, Nseabasi leads a team of more than 125 to build campaigns and technology to register, educate, and mobilize citizens from underserved and underrepresented communities. The organization has helped nearly 450,000 Georgians register to vote through face-to-face conversations, mobile apps, and video games.

Fun fact: She’s an avid gamer and speaks four languages.

Jacob Tzegaegbe, CE 11

Senior Transportation Policy Advisor | City of Atlanta

While a student, Jacob Tzegaegbe was aptly named Mr. Georgia Tech. Not only was he given the title his senior year by his peers, but Jacob’s service at Tech and after graduation has embodied what it means to be a Yellow Jacket. Jacob was the first of his family to attend college. While at Tech, he liked to stay busy competing on the Swimming and Diving team, serving as senior class president as well as president/CEO of the Student Foundation Board of Trustees and president of his fraternity. He’s been just as busy post-graduation working to address Atlanta’s infrastructure needs and streamlining the city’s transportation divisions.

Fun fact: He once hosted an MTV countdown show at Tech called Dean’s List where he counted down 10 music videos and got the chance to interview the head of NASA and CEO of IBM.

George P Burdell

Hands down, the most accomplished honoree on our list is George P. Burdell, our mischievous, but beloved Yellow Jacket. It’s true that George made his first appearance at Tech in 1927 making him older than the rest of the honorees on this list, but he somehow snuck his way into the competition like he’s been doing at other award ceremonies and events for nearly 100 years. It’s hard to keep him out. Anyway, we couldn’t possibly celebrate our inaugural 40 Under 40 list this year without our most famous alum.

Fun Fact: At the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, George was paged over the PA system more times than any other foreign dignitary. It happened so often that The Today Show’s Katie Couric wondered on air who this Burdell person could be.