At 39, Brandon Pace is Kaiser Northern California’s youngest chief operating officer.

As executive director of the San Joaquin County Historical Museum, Phillip Merlo understands the importance of cultural narratives. 

As a PIO for Sacramento State, Lanaya Lewis acts as a spokesperson for the university, staying in-the-know with everything happening.

In 2021, Katie Hanten founded her full-service design and development firm — Vertical Pacific — through which she’s helping evolve the city’s urban core.

Jacob Gutierrez-Montoya founded Sacramento Contemporary Dance Theatre, whose mission is to translate the work of local nonprofits into art.

Kevin Dobson is founder and executive director of Capital College & Career Academy, a public charter high school that trains teenagers to work in construction.

As a newly elected member of the Elk Grove Unified School District — one of the largest in the state — a partner in a law firm representing high-tech companies and a molder of young legal minds as a professor, it’s important for Michael Vargas to give back to the community.

When it comes to navigating life and work, 916 Ink’s Jade Rodgers is a firm believer in “ubuntu,” an African word meaning “my humanity is tied to yours.” “Our experience in this life is interconnected,” she says.

Ananda Rochita’s first language was Indonesian; by the time she started kindergarten, however, she also spoke English — thanks to time spent in front of the television watching the news. Years later when it came time to decide on an area of study, perhaps unsurprisingly, she chose journalism.