Since 2008, Inweekly has recognized the under-40-year-olds in our community whom their peers, clients, and bosses see as up-and-coming leaders in their professions and the greater Pensacola area. We have celebrated more than 940 individuals as stars. Those honored represent a broad range of professions, including doctors, lawyers, artists, teachers, and small business owners.
Rising Star alumni include Mayor D.C. Reeves, Commissioner Ashley Hofberger, State Rep. Alex Andrade, former State Reps Jayer Williamson and Frank White, DIB Executive Director Walker Wilson, Escambia Children’s Trust Executive Director Lindsey Cannon, Ascension Sacred Heart CEO Will Condon, attorneys Aaron Watson and Autumn Blackledge, and entrepreneurs Kylie Bolster Manning and Chloe Winchester Sexton.
We are seeking nominations for the 2025 Rising Star class. The requirements are:
1. Must be under the age of 40 on Dec. 31, 2024.
2. Must live, work, or attend school in Escambia or Santa Rosa counties.
3. Must not have been previously selected as an Inweekly Rising Star.
Nominations must be emailed – rick@inweekly.net – to me by midnight on Monday, December 2. Put “Rising Star Nomination” in the subject line, and send us their name, email address, and a brief reason why you believe they are a Rising Star. We will contact them to send in more information for the selection committee.
The complete list of Rising Stars: Rising Stars by Year
And here is the 2024 issue:
—2024 Rising Stars—
*In alphabetical order
•Brandon “Grover” Ballard
Adjunct Professor, University of West Florida; Community Organizer
•Derek Benson
Financial Analyst III, Emergency Care Partners
•Sydney Bercier
Marketing Manager, Running Wild
•Natalie Bonifay
Accounting Services Senior Associate, Warren Averett, LLC
•Autumn Cherry
Quality, Fidelity and Practice Improvement Manager, FamiliesFirst Network/LifeView Group
•Erin Clancy
Maker and Owner, Blue House Curio
•Lauren Clark
Public Relations Specialist, Gulf Winds Credit Union
•Elijah Cook
Owner, Sauce Boss Burger Co.
•Kristy Craig
Executive Director, ReadyKids!
•Caleb Cunningham
Attorney, Levin Papantonio Rafferty
•Rubi Fournier De Jesus
Unit Manager, FamiliesFirst Network
•Mandy Drew
Pharmacy Manager, Community Health Northwest Florida
•Braidon English
Commercial Real Estate Agent, NAI Pensacola; Owner, D&B Exterior Cleaning Pros
•Dominique Epps
Assistant Public Information Officer, City of Pensacola
•Erica Evans
Senior Director of Expert Services, IMS Consulting & Expert Services
•Cailin Feagles
Director of Operations and Events, Pensacola Downtown Improvement Board
•Jeri Jo Fisher
Building Jobs Program Manager, Studer Community Institute
•Faithe Franklin, BS, CSCS
Science Instructor, Fortis Institute Pensacola
•Julie Franklin
Controller, Saltmarsh, Cleaveland & Gund
•Andie Gibson
Public Information Officer, Escambia County Board of County Commissioners
•Robert Goodspeed
Manager and Talent Buyer, The Handlebar and Night Moves Fest
•Markeitta Graham
Public Records Coordinator, City of Pensacola
•Savannah Green
Attorney, Aylstock, Witkin, Kreis & Overholtz
•Tyler Griffis
AVP of Finance, Gulf Winds Credit Union
•Hunter Hendrix
Senior Attorney, Autumn Beck Blackledge, PLLC
•Ethan Henley
Director of Undergraduate Admissions, University of West Florida
•Camille Henry
Audit Supervisor, Saltmarsh, Cleaveland & Gund
•Darian Hernandez
Executive Chef, Brother Fox
•Chase Horne
Sergeant, Escambia County Sheriff’s Office
•Tyler “TJ” Johnson
Corporate Sales Executive, Pensacola Blue Wahoos
•Emily Lalas
Audit Supervisor, Saltmarsh, Cleaveland & Gund
•Alex Lamonte
Chef and Owner, Lamonte Gelato and A Mano Panino
•Ashley Lamonte
Owner and Operator, Lamonte Gelato and A Mano Panino
•Anthony Lee
Field Sales Manager, Cox Communications
•Anna Lochas
Board of Trustees Liaison and Director of Public Policy Events, University of West Florida
•Val Martinez
Financial Analyst, Pensacola State College
•Caesarea McCord
Mental Health Services Specialist, Pensacola State College
•Hannah Blount McDonough
Associate Attorney, Beggs & Lane
•Alexandra Messmore
Associate Attorney, Zarzaur Law, P.A.
•Mary Dee Moralita
Chef and Owner, O.G. Lola’s Vegan Filipino Kusina Food Truck
•Melissa Morley
Practice Supervisor, Ascension Sacred Heart
•Cameron Peters
Teacher, Escambia County School District/Bailey Middle School
•Kierra Potts
Assistant Volleyball Coach and Assistant in Athletics Development, Pensacola State College
•Patrick Price
Realtor, Kuhn Realty
•Jennifer Shoaf Richardson
Shareholder, Emmanuel Sheppard and Condon
•Bethany Roberts
Community Engagement and Patron Services Manager, Pensacola Opera
•Lakeila Robertson
Community Liaison, Healthy Start
•Sydney Robinson
Freelance Writer; Community Organizer
•Ashley Saba
Regional Business Development Coordinator, Buffalo Rock Company; CrossFit Level 1 Trainer, Revolve
•Shelby Savage
Attorney, Taylor, Warren, Weidner & Hancock, P.A.
•Trevor Schaettle
Legislative Aide, Florida House of Representatives
•Veronica Seymour, CFRE
Principal Consultant, Itinerant Communications
•Carin Smith
Community Outreach Specialist, Escambia Pensacola Human Relations Commission
•Raylene Solis
Director of Youth Programming, First City Art Center; Freelance Artist
•Courtney Spann
Accounting Manager, IMS Legal Strategies
•Yomaima Szeliga
Senior Project Engineer, Mott MacDonald
•Lashieka Taylor
Human Resource Specialist, Community Health Northwest Florida
•Raven Taylor
Healthy Families Program Manager, Children’s Home Society
•Gregory Thornhill
Owner and Sole Proprietor, Gifted Handz Enterprises
•Eniko Ujj
Artist
•Maggie Vlass
Physical Therapist, DPT, PRPC, Ascension Sacred Heart
•Cory Williams
Owner, Asesinato Tequila and NTCR Beverages
•Rhett Williams
Lawyer, Clark Partington
•Margaret Zinsel
Associate Attorney, Beggs & Lane
