Every year, the Memphis Flyer asks our readers to nominate the city’s best and brightest young leaders. From sports to government to tech, here are the Memphians who will be shaping our future.
Carrie Bernans
Actor, stunt performer, film producer
Carrie Bernans had already lived all over the world by the time she came to the Bluff City. “I loved Memphis. It’s a place that I consider home — the longest place I really stayed in my childhood.”
She turned down scholarships at Fordham and Vanderbilt to study international business and theater at the University of Memphis, where she became a track and field star. “I wanted to be a black belt. I speak six languages, and I knew some martial arts, but I needed to learn more. So I got into it and found out that there was a niche market for girls like me.”
Her athleticism made her a natural stunt performer. “It became a very lucrative side job,” she says. “People were hustling tables to make ends meet, and I was just going to sets to do some stunts.”
In 2018, she was cast as a Wakandan warrior in the Dora Milaje in Black Panther, a role she reprised in Avengers: Endgame. “Show business for me was a way of telling stories that were important to tell. I want younger people of color to see themselves on screen in other ways beyond what we were already used to. It wasn’t only rappers and drug dealers, but also astronauts and warriors and many other things.”
Alfonso Canady
Lead Software Engineer, Cinilope
It was a middle school Minecraft obsession that introduced Canady to programming. He recalls the first time he was able to make a computer say, “Hello world!” “Even just doing something really simple like that, I was dumbfounded by the power at my fingertips.”
Now, Canady works on more complex problems. At the Memphis tech company Cinilope, he develops new technology for drones and self-driving cars. “You get a lot of titles when you’re in a start-up,” he says.
While he was at Rhodes College, he found another passion: introducing others to programming. “CodeCrew is a nonprofit organization that brings computer science classes and programs to individuals who are historically underrepresented in the field.”
Ultimately, he wants to help make the Bluff City a world-class tech hub. “That would mean people taking the initiative, these young people who are intelligent, who are bright, staying in Memphis. That’s what we’re doing here within Cinilope.”
Kevin Carpenter
Music educator, Shelby County Schools
“My mom’s family is full of teachers, and my dad’s family is full of varying degrees of musicians. I had two amazing elementary school music teachers when I was a kid, and then had great band directors after them. I grew up with church choir.”
When the trumpet player first stepped in front of a class to teach, he knew he had found his calling. “The most important thing for me is to be a meaningful agent of change. And that means delivering equitable, high-quality music education to every student that needs it.”
When the pandemic hit, he used his skills as a recording engineer by organizing the Memphis Area Virtual Youth Choir. “It was a really beautiful thing to see come together. Then I realized this isn’t just a thing that our kids need here. This is a thing that everybody needs access to everywhere. So I opened up my own virtual performance studio and have put together performances for over a thousand musicians, all around the world.”
Irah Gates
Mental Health Outreach and Engagement Specialist, CMI Healthcare Services
Irah Gates says attending Rust, a historically Black college, “was very important to me, to learn about myself, my history, about our people and give back to the community.”
Giving back has been a major theme in her life. “That’s just the way my mother raised us,” she says. “I had lost my father at the age of 7, so she struggled to put us through school, my two big sisters and myself. So we built that resilience.”
She has organized volunteers for St. Jude’s Pantry Restock project through her church, New Allen Chapel African Methodist Episcopal; raised funds for Ronald McDonald House; and spearheaded the Operation Warm Hearts winter clothing drive. She traveled to South Africa, where she tutored and organized after-school programs in the low-income townships near Cape Town.
“My passion is working with children since I went through what I went through at an early age, and I just wanted to give back and let people know — and their students know — that it’s okay to go through adversities in life. You can always turn that into positivity and you can accomplish anything that you put your mind to.”
Alex Gordon
Project Manager, LEO Events
“We are the only destination management company in Memphis. We work with a lot of outbound or inbound, groups and corporations. … I feel very fortunate to be able to wake up and love what I do every day.”
If you were one of the 20,000 people who ran the St. Jude Marathon, you were greeted in the Edge District by Alex Gordon. Organizing comes naturally for her.
Gordon is also on the Edge District board of directors, and volunteers with Best Buddies International, where she helps throw the Joy Prom, an annual event for high schoolers with special needs. “It’s so awesome,” she says. “You get to walk them down a red carpet, get their photo taken, and then you just go and dance all night! It is just such a great thing because those kids are so happy to be alive.”
Margaret Haltom
Director of Emergency Rent Assistance and Housing Policy, The Works Inc.
“Urban planning to me is all about building relationships and working in partnership with communities,” says Haltom. “I wanted to start my planning career working in the city I knew best, my hometown.”
She’s come a long way since her first job at Shelby Farms. “I tended to the giant compost pile of bison manure after school and on the weekends,” she recalls.
Now, she works to save pandemic-strained families from losing their homes in the midst of a nationwide eviction crisis. “Since March of 2021, we’ve paired over 6,000 households facing eviction in Shelby County with free legal representation, and administered over $40 million in rent relief across over 15,000 households. … I want to build a city where all Memphians have access to stable, high-quality, affordable housing, and when crises come, have the support they need to stay in their homes.”
Alex Hensley
Former Special Assistant to Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris
“I’ve had a sense of injustice since I was little and always wanted to make life a bit easier for folks,” Hensley says. Through their work at BRIDGES and the county mayor’s office, they have devoted themselves to the larger good. “What is rewarding about my work is tangibly improving quality of life — even if it’s for a few families. Policy-level work has allowed me to make change on a larger scale and that’s rewarding as a big-picture kind of human.”
Hensley became notorious when Councilman Edmund Ford obnoxiously objected to their email signature identifying their preferred pronouns. “I use both ‘she’ and ‘they’ pronouns because my sense of myself goes beyond being a woman,” they say. “We don’t have to understand how people identify to respect it. Our communities and our world is better when everyone can feel safe to embody themselves authentically.”
Whether it’s affecting change at the governmental level or bringing together artists for the Art Kognito collective, Hensley says, “Organizing is crucial because we can only address the urgent issues of climate change and social and economic injustice by electing and building power among folks who prioritize people over profit.”
Emily Jennewine
Pediatric nurse practitioner, Lifedoc Health
Keeping Memphis’ children healthy is a big job, but Emily Jennewine is on the case. “Providing care to patients in the school setting not only provides healthcare that students may otherwise not receive, but also allows for early intervention to address identified health concerns. Together with a team of school nurses, we are able to provide close, school-based follow-up and coordinate further care for these patients. Beyond that, through community partnerships, we are able to provide interventions such as nutrition education and access to nutritious foods through a food bank at the schools,” Jennewine says.
“My goal is to build a future for Memphis that is healthier. I believe we need to invest in preventative healthcare for our children and shift the focus to disease prevention. This should include an emphasis on health education and access to health resources. One of the first places we can start to build a healthier Memphis is in our school systems.”
Valencia Jennings
Human Resources, Baptist Hospitals, COO HomeT3amHoops
“During my undergraduate years, I realized I needed to have a career in business where I can be around people,” says Jennings. “I am very much a people person, and I thrive off human interaction.”
After earning a master’s degree in human resources, she joined Baptist Hospitals two years ago. “HR healthcare professionals must acknowledge that the group of individuals under their stewardship includes not only employees who receive a paycheck, but also patients who are receiving treatment,” she says.
Outside the hospital, she co-founded HomeT3amHoops. “Since high school, I’ve known that I wanted to create a non-profit to afford the youth of my community opportunities that are not usually afforded to them. My best friend and I [Trey Draper, 20<30, Class of 2019] created this vision in 2021. Our focus is to not only impact the lives of youth by helping them gain the fundamental skills through basketball, but also by giving them needed life skills, educational resources, and volunteer opportunities. We want to ensure that the children of our community know that there are opportunities for them in arms reach and we will help get them there.”
Marissa Manthongkham
Director of Operations and Educational Programming, PRIZM Ensemble
Raised in a music-rich Memphis household, Manthongkham left to pursue her career as a clarinetist, eventually earning a Ph.D. at Michigan State University. “After 11 years of performing and studying in various regions of the country and abroad, I realized I wanted to return home to apply these global perspectives. I am so thrilled to be back in Memphis as a leader in the local musical community.”
With PRIZM Ensemble, she helps provide musical opportunities for a wide range of marginalized groups. “It has been proven that students who study music excel academically above their classmates. These studies show that music is the key to a more well-rounded education. Since I have personally benefited from these advantages, I feel obligated to share my knowledge and experiences with others in an effort to encourage more youth to study instrumental music. As an advocate, I will ensure that I reach as many young children as possible to inspire them to recognize the full benefits of music. As a woman of color, I understand the importance of community and how music functions within the cultural structure.”
Andrew Mok
Category Manager, AutoZone
The son of Korean immigrants, Andrew Mok knows what it’s like to struggle. Now he is one of the youngest executives at AutoZone. “I’m very fortunate to be in the position that I am today at such a young age, but I wouldn’t be here if it was just me working. I had leaders in the community who really invested in me to help me get to this point.”
Mok gives back to the community with the Technical Center at the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Memphis. “I don’t want us to just focus on the big things, like making Downtown better. There are a lot of areas that need our help. That’s the reason why I am drawn to the Boys & Girls Club. I volunteered to take the lead on that project because I know what they’re going through. I’ve seen it firsthand growing up.”
He is also on the board of directors for the University of Memphis Alumni Association, a position that “means everything to me. There’s a lot of characteristics and qualities and traits that I have today that I wouldn’t have had if it wasn’t for the University of Memphis.”
Ja Morant
Point Guard, Memphis Grizzlies
Memphis has seen our share of basketball stars, but no one has ever thrilled our city like Ja Morant. The 2020 NBA Rookie of the Year has led the Memphis Grizzlies to a record 11-game winning streak, putting the team in playoff contention and his name in the conversation for MVP. In the process, he has become the hero to the city.
“Since day one, Memphis made me and my family feel comfortable here and made us feel like home. I love everything about it, from the front office down, the fans, the community. Me and my family couldn’t ask for anything better, I want [Memphis] to receive more recognition. I feel like we have something good going here and just got to continue to grow.”
Jonathan Mosley
Program Director, Memphis in May International Festival; actor
As an event manager, Mosley has been responsible for Diner En Blanc, the Downtown Riverfront Market, and the Covid-era “Santa in a Bubble.” “Luckily in Memphis, it’s not too hard to have a good time! You can throw a rock and hit singer or DJ, the community will always come through, and our city has some of the best scenic backdrops for any event-type venue. Mix in a good cause and you’re bound to have a good event for good people looking for a good time.”
Mosley’s passion is acting. In 2018, he got the role of a lifetime at Hattiloo Theatre. “Playing the role of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was an extreme honor, privilege, and challenge. This was my first lead role in the city that MLK died in, and the show was running during the 50th anniversary of his assassination. The pressure was on, to say the least, but with the help of Hattiloo, I was ready. One of the most rewarding moments from that run of shows was being able to perform in front of seniors who had actually seen and heard Dr. King in person. Their compliments, stories, and comparisons are words that I will cherish forever.”
Cori McCleskey
She-E-O, Remember Media
“I wasn’t a leader growing up,” McCleskey says. “I was really, really shy. I couldn’t even go through a drive-through or order a pizza over the phone. It was that type of social anxiety. I did not like that about myself.”
The Marion, Arkansas, native sought to overcome her fears by facing them head-on. Her first exposure to social media was as an art gallery coordinator for the University of Arkansas. “At one point in college, I was running a little agency. I had eight accounts, and that led to me doing social media for the Arkansas Razorbacks for two football seasons.”
McCleskey was working a corporate job when the pandemic forced her to re-evaluate her path. “I knew it was time for me to jump off that entrepreneurial ledge. Around that time, all my friends were asking me to manage their social media accounts for their small businesses. So I was like, ’Why do I keep refusing?’”
Her company Remember Media now counts many Downtown businesses among its clients. “Even through the highs and lows of running a business over the last 18 months, I’ve always believed in myself and believed in my team. We can overcome anything together.”
Nora Murray
Director of Community Impact, New Memphis Institute
When Murray moved to Memphis in 2018, she says she had a lot of trepidation about a place where she knew no one, and which gets a lot of bad press. “Memphis and Memphians quickly wrapped their arms, souls, and hearts around us, and we love sharing that experience to continue working to change the narrative about Memphis.”
Now, greeting newcomers is one of her duties at the New Memphis Institute. “Having been a newcomer myself, I love to ensure that each person I meet becomes connected to Memphis and feels a sense of community here.”
Last year, she took over as the organizer of TEDx Memphis. “Bringing TEDx Memphis to a new, outdoor location certainly had its challenges, but it was so rewarding to see the tradition continue and to amplify the Memphis voice on a grander stage. We have so many incredible people in this city doing really innovative work,” she says.
“What makes our city unique is that when Memphians have an idea, they can quickly garner a community to support that idea and put it into action.”
Louise Page
Musician
Louise Page didn’t expect to stay in Memphis after graduating from Rhodes College. “But I’ve just never wanted to move. I love it here. I’ve established myself in a really good community of artists and musicians.”
The English major worked as a librarian for two years before quitting to pursue music full-time. “I started playing the original songs I’d been writing since high school, but never performing, right after I graduated. That was organically picking up steam, and I felt like I could make it my real job.”
Since then, she has released three independently produced albums, most recently Play Nice, a collection of solo piano and vocal songs she wrote during the pandemic. “All of my songs are really personal,” she says. “I don’t necessarily write what I think will be popular. I write what I need to write.”
Before the pandemic sidelined her gigging and touring, she devoted time to organizing benefit shows for organizations like Mariposas Collective. “My parents instilled these values in me,” she says. “If you have more than you need, you should share. You should help your community. You should do good things for people just because they’re good, not because you want something in return.”
Justin J. Pearson
Founder, Memphis Community Against Pollution
“I’m an unlikely leader of the environmental justice movement,” says Pearson. “I didn’t truly understand those words until our fight with the Byhalia Connection Pipeline.”
Memphis Community Against the Pipeline fought the construction of a new oil pipeline that would have bisected the predominantly Black, Southeast Memphis community where he grew up. “What I believed, and what I think our team and neighborhood association believed was, ‘We may not win, but they don’t expect a fight. So they’re not prepared for us; whereas, we mentally can be prepared for them.’”
But after a bruising few months of protests and City Council meetings, win they did. Now, Pearson has pivoted the organization he founded to fighting for environmental justice for all Memphians. “I want to build a Memphis where we can live in peace,” he says. “People deserve to not live in fear that the air we’re breathing is going to kill them.”
Lyndsey Pender
Research and Evaluation Specialist, The Works Inc.
“I’ve always been really interested in people — making authentic connections and genuine interactions with people,” says Pender.
The Memphis native decided to switch course from photojournalism to anthropology while in college, and returned from Kentucky to her hometown. “I was lucky because the anthropology program at the University of Memphis is nationally ranked, a great program.”
Now, with The Works, Inc., her mission is to make life better for all the people of Memphis. “We are a Community Development Corporation, a 501c( 3), and our focus has historically been on housing,” she says. “But we really take a holistic approach. For the health and wealth and safety of a family, you have to have a stable home environment, but we understand that you can’t address housing without addressing some other problems at the same time. … I do work across all of our programs. My background is medical anthropology.
“I think Memphis is unique, in that we are a predominantly Black city. But like a lot of Black Americans, our Black citizens don’t have the same job opportunities and educational opportunities. I want a city where everyone can flourish, regardless of the ZIP code that they were born into.”
Shelby Smith
Director of Communications, Choose901
“I was always talking about moving away,” says Smith, who grew up in the eastern portions of Shelby County. It was a college internship at Choose901 that changed her mind. “I wasn’t really coming to the city very often, because the media was only telling me about the bad things. I wasn’t hearing about the good things.”
Now, it’s her job to tell people about the great things her city has to offer. “I’ve been here my whole life, and I’d rather put on my gloves and fight than see someone from a different city think they know what’s happening here and try and fight that battle on their own,” she says.
Smith “grew up as a dancer” and taught for Collage Dance Collective before the pandemic. “Dancing is my happy place. If I’m on stage, it doesn’t matter if I’m wearing shoes or if I’m barefoot, if I’m in my Nike Dunks or my heels, that form of expression is a release for me.”
Smith is set to continue spreading the good news about the Bluff City with an upcoming partnership with Unapologetic. “I want to continue to build a Memphis that’s proud of itself.”
Brennan Steele
Author & Director of Advancement, Believe Memphis Academy
Brennan Steele says he was drawn to teaching by the many small acts of kindness he received from teachers. “I was taught to whom much is given, much is required,” he says. “Over the course of my educational journey, I was afforded a lot of educational wealth by people, specifically teachers and counselors, who were looking out for me. … What really pushed me over the edge was when I had my first and only Black male teacher in the 11th grade.”
Having an AP English teacher who looked like him made Steele believe anything was possible, which “made me want to have that impact on all students.” Soon after he came to Memphis to teach, he had the idea for Breathe: A Guided Healing Journey for Black Men, a journal with 45 days of writing prompts designed to facilitate self-discovery. “I think there are so many times where Black people are reduced to a hashtag, especially after people have been murdered,” he says. “This is like the active reclaiming of your story.”