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WASHINGTON’S HIP NEW GUARD
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YOUNG & the GUEST LIST
the WASHINGTON LIFE 2018
Portraits by tony powell
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hair and makeup: carola myers makeup artists and glamsquad Special thanks to the district wharf
hey may be under 40, but they’re building buildings, opening restaurants, trying cases, winning games, running for office, exposing sexual harassment, fighting the President’s claims of “fake news” and launching businesses to change the future. Our 2018 Young & the Guest List is a true cross-section of young people re-imagining Washington, including those who are revitalizing neighborhoods, uncovering misdeeds, keeping Jamal Abdi Executive Director, National Iranian American Council Justin Amash U.S. Congressman (R-Mich.) stephanos andreou Owner, Sakerum and Barcode ashley arias Senior Account Executive, TAA Public Relations liz ash Principal, Liz Ash LLC sarah asterbadi Marketing and Events Associate,Veluxe lawrence “naturel” atoigue Artist cameron austin Advertising Associate, Compass
us informed and keeping us entertained. And their impact doesn’t stop at city borders. “D.C. is one of the only places I know with less than three quarters of a million residents but a far larger impact globally,” says tech entrepreneur Trever Faden. “Simply by living here, you’re able to meet the most incredible people, across industries, who are passing through the city because of its significance. Your ability to be a big fish in a small pond is better here than anywhere else I know.” Big fish. Incredible people. We think that sums up our list. >>
Lucas Baiano Political filmmaker
rebecca berg Political Reporter, CNN
christopher Boutlier Interior Designer
meredith balenske Vice President of Communications, Revolution LLC
Carmen Berkley Managing Director, Organizing and Electoral Campaigns, Planned Parenthood Federation of America
Madison bowey Defenseman, Washington Capitals
Vinoda Basnayake Chairman, D.C. Government Relations Practice, Nelson Mullins Principal,Versus Equity bradley beal Shooting Guard, Washington Wizards ashley patterson beaty Vice President, Government Relations & Public Policy, Ameresco sara beckstead Communications Manager, EDENS
Jaime Herrera Beutler U.S. Congresswoman (R-Wash.) Bradley Beychok President, Media Matters for America dj biks DJ and entertainment meg biram Blogger, MegBiram.com danny boice Founder and CEO, Trustify hakim bouAnane Susan Gage Catering
sara azani Blogger, Style MBA
austin belali Director,Youth Engagement Fund, Democracy Alliance
mikayla Bouchard Senior Staff Editor, The New York Times
Carla Babb Pentagon Correspondent, Voice of America
dan berger Founder and CEO, Social Tables
timothy bouley, m.d. Global Health and Environment Specialist, The World Bank
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Quinn Bradlee Founder and CEO, FriendsofQuinn.com Marjorie meek bradley Chef and Owner, Smoked & Stacked Saweda Bright, m.d. Physician, Inova Clara Brillembourg Partner, Foley Hoag LLP brooke Brogan Founder, Brooke Brogan Public Relations Fritz Brogan Managing Partner, The Mission Group; MaverickPAC National Co-Chair Ashley Taylor Bronczek Co-Founder, Secretly Gifting
Matthew Bronczek Managing Partner, Federal Building Group and Federal Home, LLC Pamela Brown Justice Correspondent, CNN erik bruner-yang Chef and Owner, Maketto and Brothers and Sisters Brendan buck Chief Communications Advisor, House Speaker Paul Ryan Evan Burfield Co-Founder, 1776 LaRhonda Burley Senior Manager, Partner Services, NFL Players Association Alma caballero Latin America Policy Advisor, Covington & Burling LLP david cabrera Owner, Suns Cinema john carlson Defenseman, Washington Capitals
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KEVIN TURPIN President, National Journal Group A protégé of David Bradley, Turpin, 34, has helped resurrect the National Journal, transforming it into a must-read for government affairs professionals and finding new revenue lines for the business after it ceased print publication in 2015. Last year, he surpassed the company’s profit goal by 146 percent and watched proudly as his editorial team broke news, including an early report by political writer Josh Kraushaar that Democratic candidate Doug Jones had a strong chance of beating Republican Roy Moore in the Alabama Senate race. WA S H I N G T O N L I F E
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ABBY PHILLIP White House Correspondent, CNN Phillip, 29, had always envisioned herself a doctor, but two years into a pre-med program at Harvard University she decided she “hated being in labs and loved interviewing people,” so she began writing for the student newspaper and the rest is history. The political reporter joined the CNN White House team in 2017, after three years at the Washington Post. Before leaving the Post she helped pen a story on the White House’s slow response to Hurricane Maria. “I think it helped to refocus the Trump administration on needing to do more for Puerto Rico,” she says.
MARK SCIALLA Reporter and Producer, PBS NewsHour On his first field assignment for NewsHour, Scialla, 30, covered the movement against the Dakota Access Pipeline. He was also on the ground during the deadly Charlottesville protests against a white supremacist march at the University of Virginia. “It was total chaos and exposed the sometimes violent nature of the divisions in this country,” he says. 29
YGL GREGORY CENDANA Executive Director, Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, AFL-CIO
“Stay humble, do your best, have thick skin and don’t Google yourself.”
FRANCESCA CHAMBERS White House Correspondent, Daily Mail PETER CHANG Co-Founder, No Kings Collective
— Sheena Parveen on advice she would give to an up-and-comer in her field
KEO CHEA Deputy Assistant Director of Community Affairs, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau AGGIE CHIN Executive Pastry Chef, Mirabelle ELBRIDGE COLBY Senior Fellow, Center for a New American Security MARYBETH COLEMAN Vice President of Customer Success, Cortex Building Intelligence ERIN COMO Traffic Anchor/Reporter, Fox5 WILL COMPTON Inside Linebacker, Washington Redskins JOHN CONLEY Acquisitions Manager, Ditto Residential MELISSA COOK Director, Global Partnerships, EverFi RACHEL COTHRAN Senior Content Strategist, HZDG MARTIN DITTO Founder and CEO, DITTO Residential Through his urban design and real estate development company, Ditto, 39, has overseen numerous cutting edge projects across the city. His key to success: “Focus on building a work life where you are surrounded by healthy and compassionate people... and position yourself in a way that your day-to-day tasks and responsibilities are personally fulfilling.”
JORDAN COTTON Co-Founder, Cotton & Reed Distillery
SHEENA PARVEEN Metereorologist, NBC4 Parveen, 31, had previous stints in Tampa and Philadelphia before settling in Washington. In addition to her daily weather duties, she does a weekly feature on adoptable pets from local shelters.
LAUREN CULBERTSON Public Policy Manager, Twitter CARLOS CURBELO U.S. Congressman (R-Fla.) HEATHER DARAZS Creative Services Manager, CBS Corporation ASHLEY DARBY Owner, Oz Restaurant; Cast Member, “The Real Housewives of Potomac” MICHAEL DARNER Executive Director, Congressional Progressive Caucus
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WALTER L CRONKITE IV Capitol Hill Producer, CBS News
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CANDACE OURISMAN AND ASHLEY TAYLOR BRONCZEK Founders, Secretly Gifting Through their personal gift giving concierge service, best friends Ourisman and Bronczek, both 35, provide gift options to individual and corporate clients and then order, wrap and deliver them. “Essentially, we do all of the work and our clients get all of the accolades,” Ourisman explains. The duo has also been named D.C.’s “Queen Bees” by Bumble, the online dating and networking service. It’s a task that entails curating events that create a buzz.
VINODA BASNAYAKE Chairman, D.C. Government Relations Practice, Nelson Mullins Principal, Versus Equity In addition to HEIST and the newly opened Morris American Bar, Washington can expect three more projects out of Basnayake’s hospitality venture this year: a second location of Karma by Erwin Gomez in Potomac, a second cocktail bar with David Strauss in the West End and a jumbo slice pizza spot in Dupont. On balancing two demanding jobs with his personal life, the 36-yearold says: “I actually love what I do, so my work and life are pretty seamless.”
CHRIS THOMPSON Running Back, Washington Redskins After a season-ending knee injury, Thompson, 27, is ready to get back in the game. His goal for the upcoming year is to “inspire others on and off the field. Make a difference in others’ lives and be the best man and NFL athlete that I can possibly be.”
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jade floyd Vice President of Communications, Case Foundation and Revolution At Jean and Steve Case’s family foundation, which invests in digital pioneers, Floyd, 36, spends her days cultivating thought leadership opportunities, speaking engagements and media coverage for the organization and the businesses and programs it funds.
Anastasia Dellaccio Director, Global Community and Career Engagement, Creator Awards and Public Affairs at WeWork Jennifer DeSimone, m.d. Dermatologist, Inova Medical Group tara dijulio Senior Manager, Global Public Affairs, GE jessica ditto Deputy Director of Communications, The White House
jade floyd Vice President of Communications, Case Foundation and Revolution ashley forrester Corporate Director, Communications and Marketing, EventsDC desirée venn frederic Social Influencer mike friedman Chef and Owner, The Red Hen and All Purpose
Martin Ditto CEO, Ditto Residential Christian Djoos Defenseman, Washington Capitals Matthew dornic Vice President of Communications, CNN Michael Dove Co-Founder and Artistic Director, Forum Theatre amelia draper Meteorologist, NBC4 lauren dunne Co-Founder,Varnish Lane
glenda fu Executive Director, Dreams for Kids morgan fykes Director of Strategic Engagement, We the People DC Tulsi Gabbard U.S. Congresswoman (D-Hawaii) jocelyn gailliot Co-Founder, Tuckernuck ruben gallego U.S. Congressman (D-Ariz.)
devin dwyer Correspondent, ABC News
Jennifer Paquette Galloway President, Wolcott Hill Group LLC
Kieren emery Women’s Rowing Coach, Georgetown University
alex gangitano “Heard on the Hill” Reporter, Roll Call
Greg Engert Beer Director, Neighborhood Restaurant Group
allen gannett Founder and CEO,TrackMaven Matthew Gardiner Associate Artistic Director, Signature Theatre
trever faden Founder, Atlas Lane
Anastasia dellaccio Director, Global Community and Career Engagement, Creator Awards and Public Affairs, WeWork Through WeWork’s Creator Awards, Dellaccio, 36, has helped award millions to visionary entrepreneurs all over the globe. She also helps oversee Dolci Gelati, her family’s gelato business.
Meredith Fineman CEO, FinePoint
david fahrenthold Reporter, The Washington Post
Tyrone Gayle Press Secretary, Office of Sen. Kamala Harris
John Falcicchio Chief of Staff, Mayor Muriel Bowser
dayna geldwert Politics and Government Outreach, Instagram
Jennifer feldmanBrillembourg, m.d. Anesthesiologist
josh genderson President, Schneider’s of Capitol Hill
Angie fetherston CEO, Drink Company
Morgan Greenhouse genderson Founder and Managing Partner,Verdehouse
j.p. fetherston Beverage Director, Columbia Room Heather louise finch Founder and CEO, HLF, LLC
Hogan Gidley Deputy Press Secretary, The White House
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ALEXIS WILLIAMS Vice President, POLITICO Live Williams, 31, oversees and leads the expansion of the organization’s “Women Rule” initiative, which is aimed at “informing, empowering and connecting women” through female-focused podcasts, weekly newsletters and networking events. She also works to grow the Playbook franchise globally.
ANNA PALMER Co-Author, POLITICO Playbook In addition to rising in the early morning hours to co-write Washington’s daily must-read newsletter and moderating innumerable newsmaker panels during the day, last year Palmer, 35, helped launch the Playbook University event series with the goal of targeting a younger audience.
“We start work a little before 4 A.M. putting together Playbook, record the Playbook audio briefing and then do it all over again for the P.M. edition five days a week. — Anna Palmer on what her typical day at POLITICO looks like
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Photographed at Vio at the District Wharf
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LISA GILBERT Vice President of Legislative Affairs, Public Citizen MARK GILLESPIE General Manager and Creative Director, YOA Orchestra of the Americas SEAN GLASS Chairman and CEO, Advantia Health SHANA GLENZER Chief Marketing Officer, Crowdskout AUTRIA GODFREY Anchor and Reporter, ABC7 News ANGIE GOFF Anchor/Reporter, NBC4 DIEGO GONZALEZZUNIGA Blogger, Diego Downtown GIO GONZALEZ Pitcher,Washington Nationals MARCUS GOODWIN Acquisitions Associate, Four Points SARAH GORDON Founder, Gordy’s Pickle Jar MARCIN GORTAT Center, Washington Wizards NEIL GRACE Senior Communications Advisor, Federal Communications Commission RICHARD GRAVES Co-Founder, CleanChoice Energy YUDU GRAY JR CEO, House Studios CHLOÉ GRAY-LE COZ Area Director Marketing, Northeast Region at Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. MADELINE GRAYSON Co-Founder, Tuckernuck SCOTT GREENBERG Marketing Director, Nonprofit and Arts & Entertainment, Sage Communications
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RACHEL GRINNEY Co-founder,Wylie Grey JESSICA GROUNDS Co-founder, Mind the Gap CARLOS GUTIERREZ JR Founder and CEO, Highline Point Group, LLC ERIKA GUTIERREZ Regional PR Lead, Compass Real Estate MICHAEL HAFT Co-Founder, Compass Coffee DANNIA HAKKI Co-founder and Principal, MoKi Media MAHA HAKKI Partner, MoKi Media BLAKE HALL Founder and CEO, ID.me BILL HAMID Goalkeeper, D.C. United KATHLEEN KIERNAN HARNDEN M D Assistant Director, Inova Breast Medical Oncology Program BRYCE HARPER Outfielder,Washington Nationals ERIC HEIDENBERGER Managing Partner, Madhatter, Front Page, Shaw’s Tavern and 801 Restaurant & Bar and Epic Yoga EMILY HEIL “Reliable Source” Columnist, The Washington Post KYLE HENDRICK Founder, Arab Angel Fund AUDREY HENSON Founder, College to Congress JUSTIN HERMAN Emerging Citizen Technology Lead, General Services Administration
HOPE HICKS Director of Strategic Communications, The White House BRANDON HILL Co-Founder, No Kings Collective SONDRA HOFFMAN Head Booker, T.H.E. Artist Agency DEVIN LEE HOFFMAN Director of Brand Experience, HEIST DC MISTY HOLBERT Lead Associate for Media Relations, Booz Allen Hamilton FITZ HOLLADAY Director, Sofar Sounds DC KRISTEN HOLMES National Correspondent, CNN News Source RACHEL HOLT Regional General Manager for U.S. and Canada, Uber Inc. BRADEN HOLTBY Goalie, Washington Capitals FRANCES HOLUBA Founder, Chief Social Architects ROGER HOROWITZ Co-Founder, Pleasant Pops KERRA MICHELE HUERTA Blogger, Apartment Envy RICHARD HUDOCK Senior Public Relations Manager, CNN MARY ANNE HUNTSMAN Concert Pianist JACK INSLEE Executive Producer, Full Service Radio ELAHE IZADI Reporter, The Washington Post HALLIE JACKSON White House Correspondent, NBC News
JUVEN JACOB Assistant to the President, The Kennedy Center LAURA JARRETT Reporter, CNN ADORA ANDY JENKINS Vice President of Communications and Engagement, 2U BRAD JENKINS Managing Director and Executive Producer, Funny or Die
SIM KHAN Attorney and Founder, Brimble & Clark Custom Clothiers SUZANNE KIANPOUR Capitol Hill and Foreign Affairs Producer, BBC News RYAN KIBLER Creative Director, Foreign National REP RUBEN KIHUEN U.S. Congressman (D-Nevada)
ALEXA JOHNSON Co-owner, Ella-Rue ANDRA ‘AJ’ JOHNSON General Manager and Beverage Director, Macon Bistro & Larder and Magnolia Room BRIAN JOHNSON Director of Federal Relations, API KRISTA JOHNSON Co-owner, Ella-Rue JOSHUA JOHNSON Host, WAMU’s “1A”
DAMON KING Creative/Brand Coordinator, the LINE Hotel DC; Community Engagement Strategist, A Creative DC CAROLYN AMIRPASHAIE KING Chief of Staff, Rep. Rob Wittman (VA-01) JULIE KOHLER Senior Vice President, The Democracy Alliance AJAY KORI Co-Founder, UrbanStems DANIEL KRAMER Managing Partner, Duke’s Grocery and Duke’s Counter
MAURA JUDKIS Reporter, The Washington Post NICHOLAS KARNAZE Founder, stubble & ‘stache BETHANY KAZABA Co-Founder, Neighborhood Retail Group CHRYS KEFALAS Vice President of Brand Strategy, National Association of Manufacturers
JACKIE KUCINICH Washington Bureau Chief, The Daily Beast JUDY KURTZ “In the Know” Columnist, The Hill JARED KUSHNER Senior Advisor to President
BRIANNA KEILAR Senior Political Correspondent, CNN CARA KELLY Entertainment Editor, USA Today JOSEPH P KENNEDY III U.S. Congressman (D-Mass.) RYAN KERRIGAN Linebacker,Washington Redskins
BRAD LACKEY Senior Vice President, Tiedemann Wealth Management JEREMIAH LANGHORNE Chef and Owner, The Dabney MICHAEL LAROSA Director of Communications, U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
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“Creatives here want to see their peers win and take personal stakes in each other’s success.” — Damon King on Washington’s creative community
ANAIS LAURENT Social Media Specialist, Design Army The Howard University graduate, 25, is a social media strategist, event curator and stylist. On the local creative community: “Although, DC’s identity has long been defined as ‘the seat of power,’ I believe that this creative force is carving out a permanent space for a thriving and profitable creative economy. This is truly an amazing time to contribute and be at the forefront of this paradigm shift.”
MARISSA RUBENSTEIN Experiential Marketing Producer, Brightest Young Things At BYT, Rubenstein, 27, who started there as an intern, is behind some of the city’s most innovative events including BYT museum after hours, DC’s largest comedy festival Bentzen Ball, and photography festival FotoWeekDC. FUN FACT: Rubenstein was a bad student. “I was always writing stories in my head and dreaming up other worlds,” she explains. “It’s pretty cool that I get to make those worlds come to life through our events now.”
RYAN KIBLER Creative Director, Foreign National Erik Bruner-Yang poached Kibler, 32, from New York to work on his Foreign National brand locally. Kibler describes his style as “elegant but rough around the edges, portraying a balance of upscale aspiration and ear-to-the-streets wisdom.”
DAMON KING Creative/ brand Coordinator at the LINE Hotel DC A self-proclaimed “creative dreamer and doer at the intersection of arts/ design, fashion and business.” King, 24, also works on community engagement for ACreativeDC.
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VICTOR NGUYEN-LONG Freelance Creative Strategist ADAM JOSEPH LORENZETTI M D Physician, Inova KELLY LOVE Senior Assistant Press Secretary, The White House
“Write down your goals. Confide in others. Seek help when needed. Listen more than you speak. You don’t have to know it all.” - Shizu Okusa
WESLEY LOWERY National Reporter, The Washington Post DEREK LUYTEN Region Director of the Asia Division, International Republican Institute KATHRYN LYONS Managing Editor, Famous DC BROOKLYN MACK Dancer, Washington Ballet CHASE MAGGIANO Executive Director, The Washington Chorus ANNE MAHLUM Founder and CEO, Solidcore HEATHER MAHONEY Founder, Haute Haus Agency VIOLETTA MARKELOU Photographer and Makeup Artist CAMPBELL MARSHALL Vice President, International Market Development and Public Policy, Omnispace ANNA MASON Partner, Revolution’s Rise the Rest JACLYN MASON Realtor, Jack Realty BRIAN MAST U.S. Congressman, (R-Florida)
JAKUB VRANA Forward, Washington Capitals The now-21 year old from Prague was a first-round draft pick in 2014. He made his NHL debut in December 2016, notching his first career assist.
MADISON BOWEY Defenseman, Washington Capitals The 22-year-old Canadian made his NHL debut this past October after being recruited by the Caps in 2014. In 2015, he helped Canada win a gold medal at the IIHF World Junior Championships.
CHRISTIAN DJOOS Defenseman, Washington Capitals The Gothenburg, Sweden, native, 23, also made his NHL debut in October, during which he scored a goal and recorded an assist..
JOHN MCCARTHY Chief of Staff, Congressman Brendan Boyle (D-Pa.) KEVIN MCCARTHY Entertainment Reporter, FOX 5 AMANDA MCCLEMENTS Owner, Salt & Sundry JOHN MCCONNELL M D Physician, Inova
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MICHAEL LASTORIA Co-Founder, &pizza
CAROL LEE Political Reporter, NBC News
JOHN LEGITTINO CEO, Advoc8
ANAIS LAURENT Social Media Specialist Design Army
SVETLANA LEGETIC Co-Founder, Brightest Young Things
ZACH LEONSIS Vice President and General Manager, Monumental Network, Monumental
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ALEX MCCOY Chef and Owner, Lucky Buns Sports and Entertainment
DANIEL LIPPMAN Reporter and Co-Author of Politico Playbook, Politico KIRSTEN LODAL Co-Founder and
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TOMMY MCFLY Morning Show Host, 94.7 Fresh FM, CBS Radio ERIN MCPIKE White House Correspondent, IJR
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“It is literally up to us [restaurant owners] to not only set a good example for our employees, but also to be supportive, understanding and to listen and believe. We have to be proactive and retroactive.” - Carlie Steiner reacting to a growing number of reports about sexual harassment in the restaurant industry
CARLIE STEINER Co-Owner and Beverage Director, Himitsu The 26-year-old received national attention when the cozy and creative Himitsu in Petworth, which she co-owns with chef Kevin Tien, was named one of the country’s best new restaurants by Bon Appetit. She was consequently named to Forbes’ and Zagat’s 2017 30 under 30 lists. “I am motivated by creating unforgettable experiences for my guests,” she says.
MIKE FRIEDMAN Chef and Owner, The Red Hen and All-Purpose Pizzeria The New Jersey native, 36, has helped transform the Bloomingdale and Shaw neighborhoods with his Italian restaurants and their acclaimed offerings, like ‘nduja pizza and ‘cacio e pepe.’ Advice to young chefs: “Listen to your clientele. So many restaurants open and don’t tap into the heartbeat of their surrounding community or the people they are serving.”
MAURA JUDKIS Reporter, the Washington Post Over the past year, her articles have ranged from a satire on lady-friendly Doritos to a front page piece on sexual harassment in restaurants. Outside of work you might find Judkis, 32, cross-stitching with friends, which she calls “a good way to stay off Twitter.”
Phot Chan
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“Being a fierce advocate – for myself, my team, and my clients – does not always mean raising your voice or being aggressive. Sometimes conveying a sense of calm, being unflappable, even smiling, can send the message that you are not going to cave.” — Reem Sadik on workplace diplomacy
JENNIFER MELLON Co-Founder and President, Trustify
DJ NEEKOLA DJ and Producer, Neekola Entertainmentt
SPIKE MENDELSOHN Chef and Restaurateur, Good Stuff Eatery and We, the Pizza
PAUL NITZE Assistant Regional Counsel, Social Security Administration
HEATHER SHAW MENIS Principal, Fifth and Main PR
ELIZABETH NORTH President, Curiosity Stream
FLAVIUS MIHAIES Journalist and Consultant, The World Bank
OLIVIA NUZZI Washington Correspondent, New York Magazine
ALEX MILLS Actor, SyneticTheater
SHIZU OKUSA Co-Founder, JRINK Juicery
JENNIFER MISHORY Senior Fellow/Senior Policy Advisor, The Century Foundation
STEVEN OLIKARA Co-Founder and President, Millennial Action Project
RYAN HUNTER MITCHELL Owner, Suns Cinema SUJATA MITRA Head of Communications, Al-Monitor NAVROOP MITTER CEO, ArmorText HAMDULLAH MOHIB Afghan Ambassador to the United States MICHAEL MONROE Chief of Staff, North America’s Building Trades Unions JESSICA MOORE Director of Government Relations,Walt Disney Company EVAN MORGAN Partner, Revolution Growth
REEM SADIK Associate, Special Matters & Investigations, King & Spalding Sadik, 31, is an attorney who advises and defends companies and senior executives in white collar matters, including: international and domestic bribery and fraud cases, healthcare criminal and civil investigations, Congressional investigations and whistleblower cases.
ALMA CABALLERO Latin American Policy Advisor, Covington & Burling LLP Working closely with the firm’s legal practices, Caballero, 31, provide clients with “strategic advice on how to navigate the complexities of government affairs and public policy globally.” Issues range from international arbitrations to white collar criminal investigations. Caballero was born and raised along the US-Mexico border in Mexicali.
MICHAEL MORONEY Managing Supervisor, FleishmanHillard CORI SUE MORRIS Principal, Citrus Media SETH MOULTON U.S. Congressman (D-Mass.) ASHLEY MURPHY Dancer, Washington Ballet REP STEPHANIE MURPHY U.S. Congresswoman (D-Florida)
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T J OSHIE Right Wing, Washington Capitals CANDACE OURISMAN Co-Founder, Secretly Gifting CHRIS OURISMAN President, Ourisman Automotives ALEX OVECHKIN Left Wing and Captain, The Washington Capitals ANNA PALMER Co-Author, Politico Playbook TARA PALMERI White House Correspondent, ABC News MONICA PAMPELL Founder, Pentafit; Personal Trainer HOLLY PAN Fashion Blogger, Petite Flower Presents NICK PAPADOPOULOS Retail Leasing, Papadopoulos Properties
JOHN PARKINSON White House & Congressional Reporter/ Producer, ABC News
RHANA NATOUR Reporter/Producer, PBS NewsHour RAFAEL NÁVAR National Political Director, Communications Workers of America
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FIG O’REILLY Datanaut and Systems Engineer, NASA
ALI PARDO Communications Director, U.S. House of Representatives
SARA MURRAY Correspondent, CNN
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MAGGIE O’NEILL Artist; Owner, Swatchroom
SCOTT PARKINSON Executive Director, Republican Study Committee SHEENA PARVEEN Meteorologist, NBC4
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ALAN PAUL Associate Artistic Director, Shakespeare Theatre ANGELA PEOPLES Director, GetEQUAL OLIVIA PEREZ-CUBAS Press Secretary, Office of Sen. Marco Rubio OLIVIA PETERSEN Senior Director of Communications, NBC News ALEXANDRA PETRI Columnist, The Washington Post ABBY PHILLIP White House Correspondent, CNN
NIKKI SCHWAB U.S. Political Reporter, Daily Mail Online The veteran political reporter, 34, was assigned to the White House beat in 2017, where she’s attended press briefings, filed pool reports and has been alongside the first lady at pivotal moments, including her telling the world she wanted to spend the holidays on a “deserted island.” After Roy Moore refused to concede in the Alabama Senate race, Schwab was the first reporter to track him down for comment. How she became a reporter? “My parents were both journalists so they, clearly, wanted me to be a lawyer.”
TOD PLOTKIN Principal, Green Buzz Agency SARA POLON Founder, Soupergirl MICHAEL POPE Reporter ,Virginia Public Radio OTTO PORTER Small Forward, Washington Wizards DREW PORTERFIELD Director and Curator, Long View Gallery LAUREN PRATAPAS Director of Communications, CNN MICHAELA PRATT President, Mentor Foundation ROSE PREVITE Owner, Compass Rose and Maydan NED PRICE National Security Analyst LA CELIA PRINCE Ambassador of St.Vincent and the Grenadines
MARCUS GOODWIN Acquisitions Associate, Four Points and City Council candidate Goodwin is currently putting together his campaign to run for City Council. The D.C. native wants to work on behalf of his neighbors on affordable housing initiatives. As the fifth of eight children, Goodwin, 28, learned how to be a “bridge builder,” explaining “I always step in to find and create peace amongst people with different perspectives.”
ALLISON KAMINSKY PUTALA Principal, Kaminsky Putala YASMIN RADBOD Founder, Femme Fatale ANDREW RAFFERTY Political Reporter, NBC News MANU RAJU Senior Political Reporter, CNN RYAN RATINO Chef and Owner, Bresca JORDAN REED Tight End,Washington Redskins
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YGL ashley forrester Corporate Director of Communications and Marketing, Events DC In her role at the official convention and sports authority for the District of Columbia, Forrester, 34, is at the forefront of two of the city’s major “game-changing” development initiatives: the Entertainment & Sports Arena and the 190-acre RFK Campus project. She’s also an adjunct professor at Georgetown University in their Public Relations and Corporate Communications Masters Program.
anthony rendon Third Baseman, Washington Nationals
samantha sault Vice President, U.S. Fashion Industry Association
Steve Ressler President and Founder, GovLoop
kyle Schmitz President & Chief Creative Officer, KONNECTED Media Group
helena RICHARDSON Director of the Young Leaders Program, Heritage Foundation lindley thornburg RICHARDSON Public Relations Consultant, Heather Freeman Media & Public Relations jen richer Cohost & Executive Producer, “Tommy Morning Show,” CBS Radio/ WIAD september rinnier Co-Founder, Tuckernuck dan roberge Dancer, Washington Ballet Joseph E. Robert III Board of Directors, Fight for Children Josh rogin Columnist, Washington Post ali Rogin Producer and Reporter, ABC News
hunter schwarz Politics Reporter, CNN Ryan Seelbach Founder and CEO, Seelbach Entertainment Group prince christian selassie Filmmaker prince Rufael selassie Writer Raj shah Principal Deputy Press Secretary, The White House
sultan shakir Executive Director, SMYAL
sofia royce Public Relations Manager, BrandLinkDC
Katie Shannon Business Development Director, Union3 Events
rob rubba Chef, Hazel
jeff sheely Co-Founder, UrbanStems
Marissa Rubenstein Events and Experiential Marketing Producer, Brightest Young Things
jake sherman Co-Author, Politico Playbook
cita sadeli Muralist reem sadik Associate, King & Spalding steve salis Real Estate Entrepreneur; Owner, Kramerbooks and Ted’s Bulletin sarah sanders Press Secretary, The White House
stuart siciliano Partner, Hamilton Place Strategies hafsa siddiqi Senior Account Executive, MoKi Media
Alex skatell Founder and CEO, IJ Review
Jayne Sandman Principal, BrandLinkDC
farrah skeiky Photographer and Media Strategist, Dim Sum Media
Michael Sapienza CEO, Colorectal Cancer Alliance
WASHINGTON L IFE
Muna Shikaki Correspondent, Al-Arabiya
Aaron Silverman Chef and Owner, Rose’s Luxury and Pineapples & Pearls
Moira Bagley Smith Communications Consultant
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mark scialla Reporter and Producer, National Affairs, PBS NewsHour
Rina shah Principal and Founder, Rilax Strategies
ryan ross Program Director, Halcyon Incubator
kathryn lyons Managing Editor, FamousDC FamousDC, an online magazine of sorts that creates both written and video content about the people and things that make Washington special, has been earning more followers thanks to Lyons, 29, and her quirky sense of humor. She lists her professional highlights as national TV appearances (she’s a regular on Fox News’ Tucker Carlson Tonight), emceeing a Congressional brew competition and moderating FamousDC luncheons on Capitol Hill. FUN FACT: Spanish was her first language (her mother is from Cuba).
Nikki Schwab U.S. Political Reporter, Daily Mail
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2018
| washingtonlife.com
JOHN MCCARTHY Chief of Staff, Rep. Brendan Boyle After having worked for Hillary Clinton’s campaign, McCarthy is back on the Hill doing what he does best, “bringing people together, matching policies with coalitions to support them, and matching people with opportunities,” he explains. FUN FACT: He played piano at the wedding of JWOWW from “Jersey Shore.”
LAUREN DUNNE Owner, Varnish Lane By using only natural products, Dunne’s nail salon is an antidote to chemical-heavy parlors. A second location of the successful brand is opening early summer in the West End neighborhood.
LAUREN PRATAPAS Senior Director of Communications, CNN Pratapas, 32, manages communication and press outreach for the CNN Washington Bureau as well as for network’s political coverage, debates and town halls. “One of the most important experiences of the past year was being a part of the team that organized a town hall with the students and families of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School,” she says.
“The most fun and rewarding part of this job is seeing someone leave Varnish Lane completely relaxed and rejuvenated. In this crazy world, it feels really good to be able to bring someone a moment of peace.” - Lauren Dunne on the best part of her job_
P H O T O G R A P H E D AT V I O AT T H E D I S T R I C T W H A R F
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“There is no substitute for hard work. Figure out your destination and be ready to take the stairs. It’s called a climb for a reason. ” — LaRhonda Burley
Amos Snead Founder and Partner, Bryant Row LLC kristen soltis anderson Co-Founder, Echelon Insights philip soriano Co-Founder, Hugh & Crye peggy sparks Owner, Artist’s Proof Gallery Anna spiegel Food Writer, Washingtonian Rep. elise stefanik U.S. Congresswoman (R-New York) Sam Stein Political Reporter, The Daily Beast carlie Steiner Co-Owner and Beverage Director, Himitsu frederique stephanie Owner, The Pop Up House eli stokols Political Reporter, Wall Street Journal stephen strasburg Pitcher, Washington Nationals ashlee strong Press Secretary, Office of House Speaker Paul Ryan Harrison Suarez Co-Founder, Compass Coffee Jesse Suskin Manager, Government Relations and Public Policy, Google Emily Tisch Sussman Director of Campaigns, Center for American Progress eric swalwell U.S. Representative (D-Calif.) daniel swartz Photographer martin swift Artist
larhonda burley Senior Manager, Partner Services, NFL Players Association As the first in her family to go to college, Burley, 35, prides herself on being a gogetter. She worked under Sheila Johnson. whom she counts as a role model and mentor, at Monumental Sports and recently left a position at the Washington Redskins to join the National Football League. What is it like to work in a male-dominated industry? “It’s far more effective to focus on being as valuable as possible to an organization rather than being distracted by perceived obstacles,” Burley says.
alex gangitano “Heard on the Hill” reporter, Roll Call The Villanova grad, 26, covers the lighter side of Capitol Hill, focusing on personal stories and culture. Outside of work she founded a non-profit to honor a friend she lost to cancer. The Kerri Holbrook Foundation provides financial assistance to help young people with the disease. The most important trait for a young reporter? “Confidence,” she says. “It takes a lot of willingness to put yourself out there and approach stories with poise and determination.”
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Alexandra tallulah Blogger, “In My Bowl” Karin Tanabe Novelist kayla tausche Washington Correspondent, CNBC rep. Scott taylor U.S. Congressman (R-Virginia)
Stephanie Taylor Co-Founder, Progressive Change Campaign Committee Steve Taylor Principal Software Engineer, Sophos kevin tien Chef and Co-Owner, Himitsu vicky theodorou Founder, Heirloom Catering Shaunna Thomas Co-Founder, WeAreUltraViolet.org
“Work on finding problems, not solutions. It can be easy to come up with some ideal product, but it is easier to work on a big, painful problem and build a solution from there.”
2018
— Allen Gannett’s advice to budding entrepreneurs
Shawna thomas Washington Bureau Chief,Vice News arienne thompson Director of Public Relations, MoKi Media chris thompson Running Back, Washington Redskins Elliot Totah President, Oxbridge Development kelly towles Artist Ivanka trump Assistant to the President, The White House tiffany trump Law Student, Georgetown University devin tucker Public Relations Manager, BrandLinkDC CLAUDIA UCEDA Reporter/Producer, Univision Jennifer vasquez Senior Producer, NBC jayne visser President, Montana State Society Jakub Vrana Forward, Washington Capitals reed walker Co-Founder, Cotton & Reed Distillery John Wall Point Guard, Washington Wizards read Wall President, Read Wall
trever faden Founder, Atlas Lane Faden’s online property management company helps remove landlord stressors by storing background and credit checks, scheduling maintenance and managing rent payments. The firm has grown since launching in 2016 and doubled its staff in the last year alone, says Faden, 26.
allen gannett CEO, TrackMaven Gannett’s first book, “The Creative Curve: How to Develop the Right Idea, at the Right Time” hits bookstores this spring. “I wrote it because I work with big brands every day and I constantly hear how people do not think they have the “magical” power of creativity when in reality, creativity is a skill that anyone can master,” says the 26-year-old founder of TrackMaven, a marketing analytics software firm that helps big companies optimize their social media content.
P h o t o g r a p h e d at V i o at t h e D i s t r i c t W h a r f
lindsay walters Deputy Press Secretary, The White House
Andra Johnson General Manager and Beverage Director, Macon Bistro & Larder and Magnolia Room The restaurant industry veteran, 30, climbed the ranks from bussing tables to managing several eateries around town. At Macon she informs her evolving cocktail and wine lists with in-depth knowledge about spirits and wine.
Jake Ward President and CEO, Application Developers Alliance kate warren Photographer, GoKateShoot jayson werth Outfielder, Washington Nationals morgan hungerford west Founder, A Creative DC; Creative/Culture Manager, the LINE DC alexis williams Vice President, Politico Live antonio Williams Senior Director of Government and External Affairs, Comcast
“I’m a huge history nerd and movie buff so most of my cocktail names are actually derived from the history of the base spirit or a playful pun on a classic movie. ” — Andra Johnson on how she innovates new cocktails. Raffi Williams Director of Communications, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Tom Wilson Right Wing, Washington Capitals erik bruner-yang Chef and Owner of Maketto and Brothers and Sisters Bruner-Yang’s Maketto, a communal marketplace that includes a restaurant, coffee bar and clothing shop is an H Street neighborhood favorite. His new eatery in the newly-opened LINE Hotel’s lobby has gotten so busy at times that guests have been turned away. His creative concept development group Foreign National “curates food, drink, retail, events and art to create unique experiences promoting a strong, healthy, and viable community.” Its vision “is to embrace cultural evolution and drive social change with a team of open-minded and creative individuals in hospitality.”
ben wikler Washington Director, MoveOn.org phil wong Co-Founder, Misfit Juicery ann yang Co-Founder, Misfit Juicery shireen zaman Security and Rights Collaborative Director, Proteus Fund jason zuccari Vice President, Hamilton Insurance Agency
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ERH XLI ETTW XLEX QEOI XLIQ Want to be ‘like a boss’? Use these essential apps ofYGL power players.
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BY DA R A K L AT T
et’s face it, having success, brains and personality requires some good apps. When young people set out to change the world and leave a formidable mark in their field, they’ve got a trusted set of apps to help along the way. Communicating securely with the office team — check. Organizing contacts and staying on task — check. Even managing reflection or making time to meditate — check. We took a look at some of the essential apps utilized by a few of this year’s YGL honorees. Your next powerful tale of achievement might depend on a click to the app store. 22 Headspace, which provides guided medita-
All hail Google for its many apps that make chaotic work life more manageable, including Google Keep, for “jotting down notes on the fly,” Google Calendar and Google Docs. For real time internal messaging, food entrepreneurs Phil Wong and Ann Yang swear by Slack. It’s “an awesome communication tool for our team,” says Wong, who co-founded Misfit Juicery with Yang. Fellow start-up head and frequent business traveler Jen Mellon, CoFounder and President of Trustify, has added Service to her app stack. It scans your email inboxes for flights and files claims with airlines on your behalf for cancellations or delays. While Armor Text founder and CEO Navroop Mitter uses his own app for securely messaging his team and clients, he also counts on the “really clever” Evernote app to help organize his contacts. And when it comes to marketing, DJ Neekola, an international DJ and the mind behind entertainment planning company Pelonkey Inc., looks to Squarespace, Instagram and Snapchat. “It’s amazing how many people you can connect with …[and] get so much business,” Neekola says.
tion sessions and mindfulness training for a few minutes every day. For Mellon, whose day starts before dawn and ends often after midnight, Jesus Calling is a way to focus on her faith with a 365-day devotional that builds in time to reflect and pray. Whether you’re into Mozart or Moon Taxi between meetings, music is also a great escape. To find new tunes that’s aren’t necessarily on Spotify, Wong goes to SoundCloud. Quinn Bradlee, author, filmmaker and founder of a social network for young adults with learning differences, is a fan of Shazam which records and identifies music playing around you. If you want to brush up on Portuguese in your limited free time, there’s Duolingo, which Neekola says makes learning languages easy using a gaming system. For a different kind of brain game, Chess.com counts millions of players around the world, including Wong. How do these movers and shakers discover the latest and greatest apps? In Mitter’s case, “My days are spent conversing with some really curious and talented people. We share ideas, book recommendations, tech finds, etc. It’s just what we do.” Well, of course it is. You didn’t think they Googled it, did you?
,
TO CONQUER WORK
TO REJUVENATE
Being so accomplished and influential is hard work. Burnout isn’t an option. Yang looks to CO U RT E SY P H OTOS .
PICTURED (top to bottom): DJ Neekola connects with people via Instagram; Navroop Mitter uses his own app, Armor Text, to message clients; Phil Wong and Ann Yang swear by Slack for internal messaging; Quinn Bradlee relies on Shazam for song identification; Frequent traveler Jen Mellon uses Service to keep track of flights delays and cancellations.
WA S H I N G T O N L I F E
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