Rob Giardinelli
More Than 600 Emerging Leaders Gathered At The JW Marriott Austin For The Illuminating Austin-Themed Austin Under 40 Awards, Honoring 20 Standout Changemakers While Raising A Record-Breaking $215,000 For Austin Sunshine Camps
By Rob Giardinelli Photography by Dave Hawks and Max Photography
THE SCENE: The JW Marriott Austin was the setting for one of the city’s most anticipated awards ceremonies of the year, which also benefited a very worthy cause. A crowd featuring over 600 of the capital city’s emerging leaders gathered for the Austin Under 40 Awards. Benefiting Austin Sunshine Camps, the Illuminating Austin-themed night shone as it celebrated the incredible depth of talent the city has to offer, resulting in the most successful Austin Under 40 Awards to date.
THE VIBE: The black-tie crowd featured revelers donning their favorite formal looks for a night on the town. In the crowd, one could spot an eclectic mix of formal ensembles in a rainbow of colors. The result was a happy, friendly environment where everyone felt welcome.
A stroll on the blue carpet kicked off the festivities for this lively evening, where the crowd took photos on a step-and-repeat, flanked by vibrant florals to commemorate the evening. The crowd then enjoyed a lively cocktail hour in the JW Marriott ballroom foyer, where patrons sipped on their favorite spirits, and current nominees and supporters mingled with previous Austin Under 40 Awards winners, event chairs, and leaders who beautifully showcased the legacy, camaraderie, and love within the crowd.
The JW Marriott Ballroom doors then opened as the crowd filed in to find their tables for dinner and the main program. As guests dined on their multi-course meals, KXAN anchors Jennifer Sanders and Tom Miller served as emcees, keeping the festivities moving at a fun, brisk pace throughout the night.
After words from event and organization leaders thanking them for taking part in such a special evening, came the main event – the presentation of the Austin Under 40 Award winners. Each of the 20 categories was announced across a range of fields, highlighting the incredible leadership and talent Austin is fortunate to have.
The 2026 Austin Under 40 winners include Austinite of the Year, won by Priya Taneja of DHR Global; Mentor of the Year, won by Dr.Eboni L. Ceasar of Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin; Advertising, Marketing, and Public Relations, won byAngel Leverett, of Austin Habitat for Humanity; Architecture, Engineering, Construction, and Design, won byAshley Wainscott of Simply Home, Arts, Music, and Entertainment, won byCassandra “DJ Cassandra” Shankman of Sounds By Cassandra; Capital, Financial, and Insurance Services, won by Bart Davis of 512Financial; Civics, Government, and Public Affairs, won byRobert “Smiley” McCray of the Austin Fire Department; Energy, Sustainability, and Transportation, won by Matt Loszak of Aalo Atomics;
Food, Events, and Hospitality, won by Jhonatan Aldama of Kesos Tacos; Journalism, Media, and Content Creation won byJohn-Carlos Estrada of CBS Austin; Legal won by Sarah Harp of Office of the Attorney General of Texas; Medicine and Healthcare, won by Kevin Kumar, MD PhD of Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin; Nonprofit Service, won by Kaitlin Mauro of the 4ATX Foundation, People and Operations, won by Priya Taneja of DHR Global; Real Estate: won by Megan Etz of Industry ATX; Retail, Manufacturing, and Supply Chain, won by Sammy Lam of Wanderlust Wine Co.; Sports, Wellness, and Fitness, won by Tyler Parsons of Vital Society; Technology, won by Yasir Arafat of Aalo Atomics; Youth and Education won by Dr. Ashley Glover of Dr. Ashley Glover’s Wellness Center; and the Trailblazer Award, won by Troy Marcus of Evergen Equity. Upon receiving the awards, the happy winners took a moment backstage to pose for images with dear friends and loved ones to commemorate their victory and all they do to make Austin such a dynamic place to live for emerging leaders looking to make their mark on the world.
THE NON-PROFIT: The 2026 Austin Under 40 Awards, chaired by Justin Luper and Travis Reiter and hosted by the Austin Young Men’s Business League, raised a record breaking $215,000 for Austin Sunshine Camps. Proceeds raised from the event will allow over 500 children ages 8-15 to attend overnight summer camps around the Austin area free of charge.
Here Are The Event Highlights That Defined the 2026 Austin Under 40 Awards…
A Record-Breaking Fundraising Milestone
The evening raised an all-time high of $215,000 to help send more than 500 children to summer camp free of charge through Austin Sunshine Camps.
More Than 600 Austin Leaders Under One Roof
The city’s brightest rising professionals, entrepreneurs, creatives, and philanthropists gathered for one of Austin’s most anticipated annual celebrations.
An “Illuminating Austin” Theme That Captured the City’s Spirit
The evening highlighted the innovation, creativity, and leadership shaping Austin’s next generation.
A Vibrant Blue-Carpet Arrival Experience
Guests kicked off the festivities with step-and-repeat photos framed by colorful floral installations.
A High-Energy Cocktail Hour Full of Networking and Camaraderie
Nominees mingled with past winners, event chairs, and city leaders in a celebration of Austin’s collaborative spirit.
A Ballroom Filled with Colorful Black-Tie Style
Guests embraced bold fashion choices, creating a lively and welcoming atmosphere throughout the evening.
Dynamic Hosting by KXAN Anchors Jennifer Sanders and Tom Miller
The emcees kept the awards moving at an engaging, upbeat pace during dinner and presentations.
Twenty Outstanding Leaders Honored Across Diverse Industries
Winners represented fields ranging from technology and healthcare to arts, hospitality, nonprofit service, and public affairs.
Priya Taneja Earns Austinite of the Year Honors
The DHR Global leader emerged as one of the night’s biggest winners, also earning recognition in People and Operations.
DJ Cassandra Wins in Arts, Music, and Entertainment
Cassandra “DJ Cassandra” Shankman of Sounds By Cassandra took home top honors in one of the evening’s most creative categories.
Aalo Atomics Scores Dual Victories
Matt Loszak and Yasir Arafat earned awards in Energy, Sustainability, Transportation, and Technology, respectively.
Trailblazer Recognition for Troy Marcus
The Evergen Equity founder received the prestigious Trailblazer Award for his impact and leadership.
Backstage Celebration Moments Captured the Joy of the Night
Winners posed with friends, colleagues, and loved ones after receiving their honors.
A Celebration of Austin’s Future Changemakers
The evening reinforced why the Austin Under 40 Awards remains one of the city’s premier platforms for recognizing emerging leadership.
