18 Under 31 Class of 2025

Culverhouse and Manderson young alumni are a powerful force, and the evidence is on display with the UA National Alumni Association’s 18 Under 31 Young Alumni Awards. Half of the 18 recipients are Culverhouse and/or Manderson graduates. The 18 Under 31 Awards honor “exceptional young alumni who have made significant contributions to their respective fields and communities.”

 

Mike Bernier BS ’19

Director of mergers and integrations at Balefire Wealth

Bernier is from Madison, Alabama, and earned a bachelor’s degree in finance and economics. During his five years as a punter for the Alabama football team, Bernier contributed to securing national championships and SEC championships. The discipline and perseverance he learned on the field now guide his work as he leads efforts to ensure smooth transitions and integrations of acquired firms.

 

Megan Birkes BS ’17, BS ’17

Vice president of operations and development for the Yummy Restaurant Group

Birkes is vice president of operations and development for the Yummy Restaurant Group, a UA alumni-owned restaurant company in Honolulu, Hawaii. She became the company’s first intern her senior year in college, then joined Yummy after graduation and quickly ascended the ranks.

 

Lillian Roth Brand BA ’18, MBA ’20

Director with NP Strategy

Brand is an innovative communicator known for connecting people and ideas to activate change. As a director with NP Strategy, the strategic communications subsidiary of Maynard Nexsen, she brings industry experience and political acumen to the firm and its clients through business development, strategic communications and stakeholder management.

 

Bry Rivera Burrows BA ’17, MBA ’19

AI partner at IBM

Burrows is a dedicated professional with more than five years of experience at IBM, where she has excelled in consulting clients through software financing and as an AI partner at the forefront of life-changing technology. Burrows holds a degree in Spanish and political science, which reflects a strong commitment to understanding diverse perspectives and global issues.

 

Piper Reyanne Daniels BS ’19, MBA ’20

Senior systems engineer at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics

Daniels is a passionate and philanthropic senior systems engineer at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics. Daniels graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering in 2019 and an MBA in 2020. While heavily involved in various organizations during college, Daniels was recognized as an outstanding senior leader, the AIAA outstanding aerospace senior, and she received the Manderson Graduate School of Business Outstanding Leadership Award.

 

Dr. Andrew “Ross” D’Entremont BA ’19, MA ’19, MS ’20, PhD ’24

Associate lawyer at Jones Day

D’Entremont works in the litigation section at Jones Day, one of the top 10 largest law firms in the U.S. In 2020, he completed a master’s in marketing from UA during the COVID-19 pandemic. He also currently sits on several university and national boards, including the Student Life Leadership Council, Omicron Delta Kappa National Finance Committee, UA’s Lambda Chi Alpha House Corporation, the Notre Dame Alumni Association and many others.

 

Capt. Sean McSpirit BS ’19

Congressional fellow for the U.S. Marine Corps

McSpirit is a congressional fellow for the U.S. Marine Corps, where he acts as a marine liaison to the U.S. House and Senate. After earning a bachelor’s degree in finance in 2019, McSpirit was commissioned as a logistics officer, serving as the second in command of 105 Marines in a combat logistics company. The highlight of his service was a deployment to Saudi Arabia, where he served as the lead logistics planner for a forward-operating base in Yanbu.

 

Amanda White BS ’18

Senior technical project manager in cybersecurity at Walmart

White leads projects within Walmart’s eDiscovery & Forensic Services Laboratory, a cutting-edge crime lab focused on securing digital evidence for litigation and investigations. White serves on leadership teams for Walmart’s Black & African American Resource Group and Black Technology Network. White graduated magna cum laude in 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in management information systems.

 

Meagan C. Wilson BS ’21, MS ’21

Senior coordinator of partnership marketing at NASCAR

Wilson earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in marketing in 2021. While at UA, she was involved and held executive positions in several organizations, including Alpha Kappa Psi, First Fellows, Tide Talks and Manderson Women in Business. She also interned with Alabama Athletics, Stabler Sports, FOX Sports, and the Pittsburgh Penguins.