Charlotte 49ers head football coach Will Healy is joined by English professor Janaka Bowman Lewis and four alumni on the Charlotte Business Journal’s annual “40 under 40” list.
Originally scheduled to take place in May, CBJ held its announcement due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The list recognizes young professionals who are making major progress in their careers and having a positive impact in their communities.
"UNC Charlotte is proud to congratulate Coach Will Healy, Professor Janaka Bowman Lewis, John Christenbury ’07, Navondra 'Von' Cooper ’08, Natasha Edwards ’09 and Chris Moxley ’03 on being listed among the Top 40 under 40 by the Charlotte Business Journal," said Chancellor Sharon L. Gaber. "These ndividuals have distinguished themselves as leaders within the University and the Charlotte region."
Healy led the 49ers to a school-record five-game win streak to close the regular season in Conference USA play as Charlotte finished 5-3 in league play in 2019. The team competed in the Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl in the program's first-ever bowl appearance, losing to Buffalo, 31-9.
Lewis, an associate professor of English, received the Bonnie E. Cone Early Career Professorship for Teaching in 2019 in recognition of her strong commitment to teaching. She is director of UNC Charlotte’s Women’s and Gender Studies program and is leading efforts to establish a major for the program.
Healy and Lewis were joined by theseUNC Charlotte graduates on the list:
Christopher Moxley is a senior compliance associate at TIAA, specializing in data privacy and identity theft. He also co-owns several businesses, including the award-winning Charlotte-based lifestyle brand 704 Shop, which he co-founded with two fellow 49er students in the early 2000s.
John Christenbury works within CBRE’s Tenant Representation Group, where he focuses on the needs of tenants. He serves as their strategic advisor, lowering real estate costs and occupancy risks, while maximizing workplace flexibility and productivity.
Natasha Edwards works in the Charlotte office of Little Diversified Architectural Consulting, an international architecture and design firm. Edwards won the 2019 Citizen Architect Award. Her work with the Town of Matthews planning board helped shape the community. She sat on an Affordable Housing subcommittee and helped produce a report for the town that demonstrates the need for affordable housing in Matthews and recommends steps to take to remediate housing issues.