Four Goizueta alumni are recognized among Emory’s 40 Under Forty for leadership, impact, and innovation across industries.
Each year, Emory Advancement & Alumni Engagement recognizes a select group of alumni through Emory’s 40 Under Forty, highlighting early-career leaders whose work is driving impact in their organizations and communities. The program reviews hundreds of nominations to honor alumni who exemplify excellence, service, and leadership.
This year’s 40 Under Forty class includes four Goizueta graduates working across sports strategy, entrepreneurship through small-business acquisition, real estate development and community revitalization, and aviation sustainability innovation.
“Each year, Emory’s 40 Under Forty spotlights alumni who are leading change early in their careers,” says Senior Director of Alumni Engagement Lindsay Topping. “Seeing four Goizueta graduates among this year’s honorees is a powerful reminder of what our alumni community can do—across sectors, across borders, and in ways that strengthen the world around them.”
Meet Goizueta’s 40 Under 40 Honorees
Patricia Branch 08BBA
Vice President and Head of Strategy, NBA Africa
Nairobi, Kenya
Patricia Branch 08BBA is a visionary business leader shaping the future of sports and social enterprise. As head of strategy for NBA Africa, she leads efforts to grow the game and its impact across the continent. Branch focuses on advancing youth development, media reach, strategic partnerships, and community initiatives.
Before joining the NBA in 2024, Branch spent eight years at Bain & Company, where she rose to associate partner and advised global clients on growth and market strategy. Her career has included roles in investment banking at Bank of America, Merrill Lynch, and in impact investing to support Ghana’s agriculture sector.
In Goizueta’s undergraduate Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) program, Branch studied finance and organizational management, laying the foundation for a career that has taken her from New York to Nairobi. She later earned a master in business administration from Harvard Business School and now serves on the board of St. Mark’s School, where she advocates for equity and financial stewardship. Among her proudest achievements is investing in African startups that are transforming local communities.
Jason Ehrlich 15EvMBA
Managing Partner, Fruition Capital
Atlanta, Georgia
Jason Ehrlich 15EvMBA is an entrepreneurial investor. As the founder and managing partner of Fruition Capital, he leads a firm that backs entrepreneurs who purchase and run established small businesses.
Ehrlich’s career began in the corporate sector, where he focused on advancement and traditional success. His experience at Goizueta, however, broadened his perspective by introducing him to new industries, business models, and ways of thinking. Inspired to rethink his goals and chart a new course centered on entrepreneurship, Ehrlich launched Fruition Capital to fill a gap in the market while also shaping his professional path.
Today he spends his time partnering with ambitious entrepreneurs, guiding a range of distinctive small businesses, and generating strong results for the investors who trust his leadership.
Ian Ross 08BBA
Founder and Managing Principal, SomeraRoad
New York, New York
Ian Ross 08BBA is the founder and managing principal of SomeraRoad, one of the nation’s fastest-growing real estate firms. Since starting the company in 2016, he has led its growth to more than $3 billion in projects across 70 cities, helping revitalize communities and support long-term development.
Ross has built SomeraRoad into a diverse company that invests in and develops properties across the country, adding new areas of work in industrial projects, aviation infrastructure, and neighborhood redevelopment.
Before launching SomeraRoad, Ross worked in investment banking at Jefferies & Company and Morgan Stanley and later served as a managing director at Triangle Capital Group. He earned a master of business administration from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and graduated with honors from Goizueta Business School with a bachelor’s in business administration (BBA).
Beyond his work in real estate, Ross founded The Asperger’s Awareness Council, a nonprofit that promotes understanding of high-functioning autism. Originally from Los Angeles, he now lives in Brooklyn with his wife and family.
Sangita Sharma 18MBA
Director, Sustainable Skies Lab, Delta Air Lines
Atlanta, Georgia
Sangita Sharma 18MBA is the founder and director of the Delta Sustainable Skies Lab, a first-of-its-kind innovation hub advancing net-zero aviation technologies. Her career at Delta Air Lines has spanned strategy, innovation, and crisis response, including launching an internal innovation competition as an analyst and leading cleanliness protocol development during COVID-19.
Today Sharma drives decarbonization-focused innovation by connecting promising ideas with the resources they need to scale. Building the Sustainable Skies Lab and an ecosystem that balances safety, operability, and solutions for a sustainable future has been a true labor of love.
She credits Emory with shaping her systems-thinking approach and values-driven leadership and introducing her to a community of passionate, like-minded leaders. Sharma remains energized by the work ahead, confident that the best is yet to come.
About Emory’s 40 Under Forty
Emory’s 40 Under Forty recognizes alumni who are “leading change in innovative ways,” with honorees selected annually through a nomination process. Nominations are currently open for a future class.
Inspired by the leadership and impact of Goizueta’s 40 Under Forty honorees? Learn more about Emory’s 40 Under Forty program and nominate an alum whose work is shaping what’s next.
See where a Goizueta education can take you. Explore Goizueta’s academic programs and learn how students across every stage of their career prepare to lead with impact.
