10 people with Wright State connections named to Dayton Business Journal’s ‘Forty Under 40’ list

Pratik Parikh, professor of biomedical, industrial and human factors engineering.

Ten people with Wright State University connections, including an engineering professor and police sergeant, were named to the Dayton Business Journal’s 2019 “Forty Under 40” list of those honored as the region’s future leaders.

The honorees include Pratik Parikh, professor of biomedical, industrial and human factors engineering at Wright State.

Parikh has made substantial contributions in education, including experiential learning, student empowerment and impactful research. He has also given back to the community through philanthropic activities.

In 2017, Parikh was honored by the Affiliates Societies Council for his mentorship, curriculum development, in-class and distance teaching, and educational outreach. He is the past recipient of Wright State’s Presidential Award for Faculty Excellence: Early Career Achievement as well as Advisor of the Year and College Outstanding Faculty awards.

Also named to the “40 Under 40” list was Kurt Holden, a sergeant and patrol commander in the Wright State University Police Department.

Wright State Police Sgt. Kurt Holden

Holden serves as a coach and a mentor to foster youths in the Independent Scholars Network. Once an emancipated foster child himself, Holden has been praised for his commitment to students who need strong and dependable role models in their lives as they simultaneously tackle emancipation and college.

Holden, who holds associate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees, has served in the past as an adjunct in Wright State’s Crime and Justice Studies Program in the College of Liberal Arts.

Also named to “40 Under 40” were eight Wright State alumni:

• Caressa Brown, bachelor’s in organizational leadership, owner of Dayton Emerging Fashion Incubator LLC
• Elizabeth Koelker, bachelor’s in organizational leadership, executive director of Kettering Health Network’s Oncology Service Line
• Bradley Mader, bachelor’s in accountancy, president of the KH Network Credit Union
• Julio Mateo, master’s in human factors/industrial psychology, senior researcher at 361 Interactive LLC
• Ryan Muhlenkamp, bachelor’s and master’s in nursing, system director of operations access and referral management for Premier Physician Network–Premier Health
• Brian Powell, bachelor’s in organizational leadership, director of engineering at Tangram Flex Inc.
• Brian Schulze, master’s in business administration, director of the Premier Health/Premier Physician Network
• Cassandra Stewart, bachelor’s in accountancy and finance, controller of Krush Media