UM-Flint students, alums, administrators recognized in Flint & Genesee Group's ‘40 under 40’

Hail to the Victors! The University of Michigan-Flint prides itself on preparing leaders through academic excellence, student-centeredness and engaged citizenship – attributes that are on full display in the Flint & Genesee Group's 40 Under 40 awards, which features 11 UM-Flint students, alums and administrators. The biannual program "celebrates the region's brightest young talents who are excelling professionally and making a significant impact within the community."

To be considered for inclusion on the list, honorees had to meet the following criteria:

Be 39 years old or younger as of Dec. 31, 2024.
Spend the majority of their work time in Flint and Genesee County and/or work remotely for an employer headquartered in Genesee County.
If employed outside of Genesee County, must hold a leadership position in a local community organization and be a resident of Flint or Genesee County.
Be an owner, executive, manager, professional or person with significant influence.

"To see so many UM-Flint graduates represented in this year's 40 under 40 is a testament both to the quality of education learners receive at UM-Flint as well as their dedication to the local community," said Shari Schrader, vice chancellor for university advancement. "Our grads are motivated to use the skills they gained at the university to cultivate Flint and the surrounding areas. It is inspiring to see their continued dedication to service and the betterment of the community."

Read on for highlights of the UM-Flint alumni who made the Flint & Genesee Group's second biannual 40 Under 40.

Dan Command

Previously an award-winning teacher for Grand Blanc Community Schools, Command is now a full-time entrepreneur and is considered the largest influencer in the beard product industry. The Dan C Bearded YouTube channel has 80,500 subscribers and more than 67 million minutes watched. Command's "Beauty & The Beard" grooming products are available in drugstores nationwide. He continues to give back by volunteering with the university's Summer Entrepreneurship Institute.

Shelby Garcia

As a senior accountant at Yeo & Yeo CPAs & Advisors' Flint office, Garcia collaborates closely with clients, leads team and staff trainings, and manages projects. Her technical knowledge, particularly in nonprofits and single audits, makes her a highly sought-after resource by clients and her peers. She supports local nonprofits and participates in numerous events including Food Bank of Eastern Michigan's Empty Bowls, Flint & Genesee Chamber events, Flushing Athletic Booster events, and Genesee County Habitat for Humanity golf outings and volunteer build activities. She also takes part in the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk, Carriage Town Ministries Adopt-a-Family, and the Zonta Club of Flint Christmas event.

Amanda Hemeyer

Amanda Hemeyer is committed to inspiring the next generation of engineers and helping the Flint and Genesee communities. A ROWE associate and shareholder, Hemeyer works with the Genesee County Road Commission and city of Flint on many successful projects, including bridge replacements and rehabilitations. She is leading the company's STEM/STEAM strategic efforts in 2024 and serves as a board member and scholarship chair for the Michigan Society of Professional Engineers-Flint Chapter.

Lucine Jarrah

As executive director of the Arab American Heritage Council, Jarrah has been instrumental in expanding and revitalizing the organization's programming and services. The AAHC offers immigration counseling and consultation services, promotes art and culture, and strengthens the political power of the Arab American community through advocacy and civic engagement. She also serves in various capacities with the Genesee Regional Health Equity Council, McLaren Health Equity Council, Global Flint Initiative, National Network for Arab American Communities, and Michigan Muslim Civic Table.

David Luke

Luke joined UM-Flint in May 2018 as director of the Intercultural Center. Today, he is the inaugural chief diversity officer at the university where, in addition to his ICC duties, Luke oversees the implementation of the university-wide Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Strategic Action Plan and oversees the Center for Gender & Sexuality and Office of Educational Opportunity Initiatives. His recent book, "Affirmative Action and Black Student Success: The Pursuit of 'Critical Mass' at Historically White Universities," explores the effectiveness of diversity initiatives in various political contexts.

Dylan Luna

Luna began his career as a high school teacher on the South Side of Chicago. He later taught Spanish in Detroit before returning home to Flint to teach a range of subjects in elementary school, believing it important to be on the ground floor in the classroom before going on to work in educational policy. He now serves as a global attraction representative for the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, the state's marketing arm and lead advocate for business development, job awareness and community development.

Taylor McClain

Since 2018, McClain has served as a legal assistant to Trachelle Young, with a resume that has included working for the Flint Water Justice legal team. During the pandemic, she found comfort and inspiration watching The Food Network, which sparked her creativity and planted seeds for her entrepreneurial endeavors. In 2022, she founded the annual The Culture Matters Cooking Competition, a platform for culinary artists to showcase their talents and celebrate community and culinary diversity. In 2023, McClain took on the role of program coordinator for Gottagetit and The Power Initiative where she developed the curriculum for a children's cooking class, which aims to instill a love for cooking, cultural exploration and important life skills.

Olivia Nagel

For six years, Nagel has committed her time and talent at Whaley Children's Center, a Flint nonprofit providing shelter, hope and healing to children who are survivors of neglect and abuse. Nagel has served as Whaley's director of development since 2022, leading her team with new approaches to fundraising and event planning. Beyond her work with the center, Nagel has recently volunteered her time with the West Flint Optimist Club and worked to build items for Genesee County Habitat for Humanity. She's active with the Grand Blanc Chamber of Commerce and belongs to the Flint & Genesee Young Professionals.

Richard Sadler

Sadler was the geographer on the seminal paper that helped bring media attention to the Flint Water Crisis. Additionally, he was partly responsible for the conception of the Flint Fresh Mobile Market and was closely involved in health department surveillance of the COVID-19 pandemic. His skills in geographic information science and community-based public health research can be applied to many local needs and applications. A tenured associate professor in the Department of Public Health at Michigan State University's research unit in Flint, his work revolves around building the evidence base for what makes some cities more conducive to happy and healthy lifestyles than others. He is also the associate chair for research in MSU's Department of Family Medicine and chair of the Health & Medical Geography Specialty Group of the American Association of Geographers.

Amber Schlemmer

As the driving force behind Primary Prevention Physiotherapy, Schlemmer leads with professionalism and heartfelt empathy. She is a physical therapy sponsor for the Crim Fitness Foundation and is also actively involved in Flushing community organizations providing support and education for all Flushing Raider Athletics teams and sponsoring their athletic trainer. She develops and offers classes for the Flushing Senior Center, sponsors an Early Childhood Center Children's Day on movement and nutrition, offers summer strength and conditioning programs for Flushing athletes, and provides professional staff for Summer Raider Nation sports camps. Additionally, she collaborates with Bremer Prosthetics to support a para-athlete Crim running group.

Allen Williams

As Financial Plus Credit Union's first Diversity, Equity & Inclusion business partner, Williams is already making his mark. A certified diversity professional through the National Diversity Council, Williams successfully created and implemented a DEI strategy and organized a DEI council at the credit union and serves as the group's chair. One of his initiatives is called Billboard of Inclusion, a contest that awards small, minority-owned businesses with a free billboard advertisement for four weeks.

To see the full 40 Under 40 list and more about these UM-Flint alumni, visit the Flint & Genesee Group's website.