Our Leadership

YPAL is a membership-based organization governed by a volunteer board of directors. It is through volunteer committee involvement and leadership opportunities that YPAL members can make the most of their experience and develop themselves professionally. Because YPAL is mostly volunteer, the organization also relies on strategic partnerships with the business community.

YPAL Board of Directors

Aimee Jewell

President

Aimee works as the Employer Engagement Coordinator in the University of Louisville’s Career Development Center. Each year, she organizes the University’s career fairs and professional events for nearly 18,000 students, develops relationships with both local and national employers, manages the Center’s marking and communication initiatives, and meets 1-on-1 with students to prepare them for the transition from college to career.

Nathan Shanks

President-Elect

With all the challenges facing organizations and families today, no one has time to become an insurance expert. Instead, you need an experienced team who can analyze the various options open to you — both insurance and non-insurance options — and suggest the best alternatives for your needs. Then you’re in a position to make a knowledge-based decision.

Drew Eckman

Immediate Past President

Drew focuses his practice in the areas of corporate law, entrepreneurial law and mergers and acquisitions, and is passionate about helping emerging businesses succeed. He regularly counsels clients ranging from startups to mature companies on issues pertaining to their businesses and operations, including entity formation, contract negotiation, securities compliance, private equity financing, corporate governance, organizational structuring and general business advice.

Wesley Vance

Treasurer

Westley joined MCM CPAs & Advisors as a Senior Audit Associate in 2014 after starting his career at Dean Dorton in 2011. He was promoted to Supervisor in the fall of 2015 and recently promoted to Manager in the fall of 2016. He manages the assurance engagements for a multitude of industries including property and casualty insurance, life insurance, construction and manufacturing.

Kellie Money

Secretary

Kellie is an associate attorney at Frost Brown Todd. She advises employers on employee benefits and executive compensation. Before joining the firm, Kellie graduated from the UofL Brandeis School of Law. During law school, she interned in the legal department at Churchill Downs Inc. where she collaborated with in house counsel on regulatory compliance and industry best practices.

Sally George

Vice President of Public Relations

Before joining Doe-Anderson, Sally interned with the third largest PR firm in the world, FleishmanHillard, doing corporate communications for General Motors and Chevrolet; social media content creation for Signet Jewelers and GM; and analytics for Chevrolet, Frost Bank and AT&T. Sally graduated with honors from Ball State with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and PR where she was heavily involved in student media and completed four internships prior to graduating. Sally resides in Louisville, Ky., and is an PR Account Manager at Doe-Anderson.

Jenna Haugen

VP of Community

Jenna is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Management at the University of Louisville. She has a Ph. D. in organizational communication from the University of Kansas. Her courses in Business Communication and Crafting Managerial Communication teach students the art of communication in a multitude of contexts from the elevator to the boardroom. Jenna leads the Social Enterprise Incubator in the College of Business and is passionate about developing leaders that are capable of contributing to their communities. She serves as the Vice-President of Community for the Young Professionals Association and was recently recognized by Louisville Business First as a Young Leader.

Rudy Ellis

VP of Programming

I am a recent graduate of the University of Louisville, Louis D. Brandeis School of Law, and as such, I am fascinated by the ever changing landscape that the profession holds. The legal profession requires productive and efficient problem solving. Throughout my academic, extracurricular, and professional work, I have spent countless hours brainstorming with teams to solve various vexing problems. These activities have prepared me for a dynamic, fast-paced problem solving environment, similar to that found in any legal or business setting.

Gary Spence

VP of Engagement

Gary Spence is an Assistant Vice President, Business Development Manager working out of the Middletown location of Republic Bank.
As a Business Development Manager, Gary is not only responsible for the overall performance and profitability of his branch, but he also handles commercial lending, consumer lending, and all small business banking needs. In his time at Republic Bank, he has remained a top performer in his peer group and has his sights set on furthering his career with Republic Bank.
Before Republic Bank, Gary was a Leasing Coordinator for American Campus Communities while attending the University of Kentucky.
Outside of work, Gary is a member of the Board of Directors for Young Professionals Association of Louisville and volunteers with Big Brothers Big Sisters. His hobbies include watching documentaries, playing sports, and attending UofL sporting events.

Kristina Johns

Director of Communications

Kristina is a Digital Strategist at Doe-Anderson, where she spends her time helping bridge the gap between traditional advertising and the ever-evolving digital world, so agencies can help their clients not only meet their goals, but exceed them. When she’s not busy explaining digital data, she loves to run mini-marathons, and hang out with her giant Lebanese family, all located here in Louisville! Her goals for YPAL are to have one place for professionals from all around Louisville come to hang out and have a beer with.

Jay Brown

Director of Technology

At 24, Jay was enticed by the trial by fire culture of the startup world. He joined up with two friends to launch an app, WhyWait, and applied his skills to product development and project management for their business. Over the next few years, he would grow his skills to range from sales to web programming. This experience helped land him in his current role as a Business Development Executive for a leading technology firm, SmartData.

Mandy Jackson

Director of Community Outreach

Mandy Jackson, Guardian Owl’s Director of National Accounts, grew up in Hickory, Kentucky. When deciding where to go to college she knew she wanted to stay local but break out of her small town. She attended the University of Louisville where she earned her BA in Psychology and BSBA in Marketing. Since graduating, she hasn’t been able to leave this fun and vibrant city. She likes to think that Louisville gave her so many opportunities and now it is her turn to give back.

Emma Gimbel

Director of Entertainment

Emma joined ADP as an experienced district sales manager with a demonstrated history of work in the human resources industry. She sells human capital management systems to small business owners. She works with local and national businesses. She has the privilege to consult with business owners to ensure they have the proper structure in place to make their business successful. Emma is a strong sales professional who graduated with a master degree focused in human resource management from Sullivan University in May 2018. She is skilled in communication, team building, leadership, and human resources. She has been attending YPAL events since 2017.

Hunter T Ellington

Director of Public Issues

Hunter joined Fifth Third in 2015 with previous experience in mortgage and retail banking with a large national bank. Hunter most recently served as a Financial Center Manager with Fifth Third before joining the Private Bank. Hunter now serves as an Associate Private Banker in the Wealth & Asset Management group for Fifth Third. In his role, Hunter works with high net worth individuals and affluent families as their leverage and liquidity specialist. He provides cash flow and lending expertise alongside a team of highly specialized investment professionals in the delivery of planning, investment management, and advisory services to his Private Bank clients.

Sarah Humphrey

Director of Professional Development

Growth, Learning, Kindness, Humor, Challenge, and Openness. Sarah Humphrey is a Grant Writer at Home of the Innocents. After graduating with honors from Centre College in 2009, Sarah enjoyed 4 years teaching English in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan, where she pursued her love of Japanese language and culture and developed a passion for playing Taiko drums. Sarah attained her Master of Arts in English from the University of Louisville in 2015. In Louisville, Sarah has gravitated toward opportunities within the nonprofit sector, first with the Muhammad Ali Center and the Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts. Sarah is an advocate for lifelong learning and development and believes persistent curiosity is essential to leadership.

Laura Nunnelley

Director of Leadership

Laura has been a YPAL member since 2012 and has served as an ambassador, the Director of Membership, and now the Director of Leadership. She is a three time graduate of the University of Louisville with Bachelor degrees in Marketing and Management, and a Masters of Business Administration. Laura has been working in marketing at UofL for the past three years and also worked in project management at the Texas Roadhouse Corporate Office for three years. She very creative, innovative, analytical, and efficient young professional. She consistently goes above and beyond the scope of her jobs, developing new ideas and implementing them in the company she works for and organizations in which she holds positions. Feel free to reach out to Laura to learn more about Louisville and YPAL!

Kasen Meek

Director of Diversity & Inclusion

Experienced Events & Marketing Coordinator and Brand Ambassador with a demonstrated history of working on major events in mental health, fundraising, and marketing industries. Skilled in Event Planning, Logistical Organization, Creative Problem Solving, Social Media, Adobe Creative Suite, Microsoft PowerPoint, and Public Speaking.

Cassidy Hyde

Director of Recruitment

I am a passionate, ambitious and dynamic team member. I value being an active learner and a servant leader. I currently work as a Development Officer for the Kentucky region of Make-A-Wish Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana in Louisville, KY. I am on a passionate pursuit to fund the wish of every eligible, incredibly deserving child across the Commonwealth. The kids I have the opportunity to serve have changed my life, working for them and their families on a daily basis is nothing short of a blessing. I am committed to enhancing my network throughout Kentucky, becoming a better leader and growing our Young Professional board to ultimately grant the wish of every eligible child in Kentucky.

Christian Bowles

Director of Membership

Christian Bowles is Assistant Vice President of Business Development for Q2 Business Capital. Q2 is a boutique commercial lending company that works with clients across the U.S. Christian works closely with business owners and executives to develop and plan capital strategies that enhance business growth and expansion. He graduated Summa Cum Laude from Murray State University and joined YPAL in 2015.