UNCG graduates and faculty make the Triad Business Journals 40 Under 40 and Outstanding Women in Business lists.
Last month, the Triad Business Journal recognized ten alumni and faculty members from UNC Greensboro in two of its most prestigious lists: Outstanding Women in Business and 40 Under 40.
Outstanding Women in Business
Six women with a UNCG connection were chosen from a long list of nominees to make it among the 25 finalists for TBJ’s annual Women in Business list.
Wilson of the Triad Business Journal said, “The caliber of nominees was truly exceptional, making the judges’ job of narrowing the field down to a select few honorees difficult.”
Debra Barksdale, PhD, RN, FNP-BC, FAANP, ANEF, FAAN
Dean, UNCG School of Nursing
Debra Barksdale’s journey in nursing and academia has been driven by a deep commitment to addressing health disparities. After years of working as a family nurse practitioner and educator, she pursued her PhD at the University of Michigan, motivated by the impact of stress on the health of her patients – particularly Black patients. Observing a lack of research on the physiological effects of stress, she accepted the challenge to fill the gap.
Barksdale has since broken numerous barriers in nursing education and leadership. She became the first minority faculty member at the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Nursing to achieve the rank of tenured full Professor. She made history as the first nurse appointed to the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) Board of Governors and later as the first Dean of color at the UNCG School of Nursing. In 2023, she was elected president-elect of the American Academy of Nursing and will assume the presidency in October 2025. She previously served as president of the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties, further solidifying her influence in nursing leadership. Despite her many accomplishments, Barksdale remains focused on service and mentorship. “It’s about being a servant leader,” she told UNCG last year. “I want to be able to create opportunities and support others to reach their potential.”
Dr. Sheeba Dawood, PhD Class of ‘20
CEO, Co-Founder, Minerva Lithium
Since earning her PhD from UNCG’s Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering in 2020, Dr. Sheeba Dawood’s career has been on the rise. Recognized as a pioneer in the development of sustainable technology and with research published in eight peer-reviewed journals, Dawood founded a lithium-extraction company upon graduation and named it for her alma mater.
At Minerva Lithium, which won the national TechCrunch Startup Competition in 2022, she designed a means of extracting the precious mineral, used in all modern batteries, from petroleum-refining wastewater, using 90 percent less water than other methods and with zero carbon emissions. “Everyone is talking about batteries,” she told UNCG in 2020, “but is anyone really talking about the minerals that are needed in the battery?”
Dr. Hemali Rathnayake
Professor, UNCG Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering, Co-Founder Minerva Lithium
Extensively decorated, eminently published, and highly respected, Dr. Hemali Rathnayake’s research has touched upon ultrathin nanowires, molecular magnetism, folic acid, halogen bonding, organic photovoltaics, binary metal oxides, copper nanocubes, and other highly advanced subjects. She still teaches at UNCG, and helped one of her former students, Dr. Sheeba Dawood, found Minerva Lithium.
“I loved science when I was a girl, and I wanted to study organic chemistry,” Rathnayake told UNCG in 2022. “My mother wanted me to go to medical school, but that’s not what I wanted. My motivation was I wanted to do something with science, to use what I learn to make people’s lives better.”
Ashley Lauren, Interior Architecture, Class of ‘11
Design Director/Partner, MM Interior Design Group
Ashley Lauren’s design experience encompasses both commercial and residential spaces, as well as furniture. At MM Interior Design Group, she ascended to partner in 2021 and has won several Excellence in Design Awards from the American Society of Interior Designers. Besides being an active member of the Greensboro Builders Association and Professional Women in Business, she volunteers with Habitat for Humanity and mentors young design students at local universities.
Leslie Bates, Class of ‘02, MS Class of ‘04
Partner, Forvis Mazars LLP
Leslie Bates received her master’s degree in accounting from the Bryan School of Business. As a partner at Forvis Mazars LLP, a global financial services company, she has expertise in the multifamily housing industry.
Michelle Schneider, Class of ‘90, MPA ‘01
VP and Chief Philanthropy Officer, Cone Health
Michelle Schneider combined her UNCG Master’s in Public Administration with decades of fundraising experience to become the Chief Philanthropy Officer for Cone Health, one of Greensboro’s largest employers with more than 13,000 folks on the payroll. She and her team of 12 fundraising professionals are currently working in the Campaign for Healthy Communities, which runs through 2027 and has nearly reached its $35 million goal already.
Four for 40 Under 40
Four young alumni appeared in 2025’s 40 Under 40 list, reserved for Triad residents who have made their mark in business, philanthropy, or leadership. “Honorees were chosen through an independent editorial review with selections based entirely on nominees’ merits, achievements, and contributions to their organizations and local community,” said Carl Wilson, Special Sections Editor for the Triad Business Journal.
Angela Austin, Interior Architecture, Class of ‘09
Design Director/Partner, MM Interior Design Group
After graduating from UNCG in 2009, Angela Austin worked her way through the ranks at MM Interior Design Group, first as a designer, then Design Director, and now partner, where she has input in all strategic and business decisions. She is licensed by the Board of Architecture and Registered Interior Designers and certified by the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ), the highest certification in the business. She has won the American Society of Interior Designers’ Excellence in Design Award three times.
“Ultimately, I aspire to create a thriving business that not only delivers exceptional results but also positively impacts our community,” she said. “Whether the project is residential or commercial, the goal is to create inspiring spaces that elevate lives and leave a lasting legacy.”
Erin Moseley, English/Women and Gender Studies, Class of ‘09
Shareholder, Maynard Nexsen PC
Attorney Erin Mosely is one of North Carolina’s foremost experts in alcohol licensing. She handles federal and local liquor licensing matters for her firm, Maynard Nexsen, which also handles licensing and permits for businesses. She is also on the Real Estate and Finance Team, specializing in commercial loans and real estate.
Her experience includes time as a Law Clerk before she earned her law degree, and interning for United States District Court Magistrate Judge David C. Keesler.
Blake Moyer, MPA, Class of ‘20
President and CEO, Surry County Economic Development Partnership
In the past year, Blake Moyer has helped land more than $85 million in new construction permits in Surry County, including a $50 million facility for North Carolina Foam Industries, the largest economic development project in the county’s history. He’s active in the Mt. Airy Chamber of Commerce and is an ex-officio board member of the Yadkin Valley Chamber. Having spent most of his life in the Triad, which he’s called a “Goldilocks region,” he says it has “a little bit of this, a little bit of that, not too much of anything, and has access to anything you could want.”
Justin Strickland, MBA, Class of ‘11
CEO and Founder, Accelerated Brands
Justin Strickland moves fast. Within a year of earning his MBA, the Thomasville native opened Tater Bugs quick-lube oil change with help from his grandfather, who mortgaged the family home to finance it. He sold Tater Bugs, to form Strickland Brothers, which grew to more than 60 locations within five years. A year after that, he branched out to car washes, reorganizing his company as Accelerated Brands with more than 150 locations by 2022.
His rise has been fast, but not easy. “My journey has been full of challenges, many of which I never saw coming,” he told the Business Journal. “They just hit you, and you have to be ready to take the punch. Problems aren’t always planned; in fact, most of the time, they’re not.”
Triad Business Journal celebrated its 40 Under 40 on February 20 at the Nido and Mariana Qubein Arena and Conference Center at High Point University. The Outstanding Women in Business event will be held on April 23 at the Cadillac Service Garage in Greensboro.
Story by Brian Clarey, University Communications
Photos by UNCG
