40 Under 40 2017

Dr. Kendal Hervert, 35 – Tulsa

Pulmonologist, Cancer Treatment Centers of America
Lung cancer is a daunting diagnosis, but Kendal Hervert makes it her mission to help any and all affected. Hevert is a pulmonologist and spends her workdays treating patients suffering from the disease. And although she doesn’t meet them in favorable circumstances, Hervert says the patients are her favorite part of the job, hands down. “I love my job because of the people,” she says. “I meet patients from all over the country.” In an occupation that is often overwhelming, Hervert has a distinctive perspective that keeps her positive. “The secret to my success is knowing that God has a purpose for my life,” she says. “He opens some doors and closes others, but I am willing to work hard toward my goals.” At home, Hervert is a wife, and proud owner of two dogs. “Going for a walk with my husband and our two dogs, Sugar and Raymond, or doing yoga are my favorite ways to wind down at the end of the day,” she says.

Erin Smith, 38 & Ryan Smith, 39 – Oklahoma City

Owners, Smith Design Company
This husband-and-wife design duo does it all: Ryan acts as the general contractor and Erin is the architect, designer, chief financial officer and project manager for the commercial, historical and custom residences they create around OKC. They also do their part to provide ample opportunities for the next generation of creators. “We support and sponsor young people within our industry to explore and obtain their own business opportunities, to become self sufficient, and to better care for themselves and their families.” The autonomy that comes with being her own boss is a major bonus for Erin – as is “being a successful female in a male-dominated industry.” As a San Diego native, Ryan says his favorite sport is surfing, but his wife has a caveat: “I can wakeboard better than my husband,” she tells us. But Ryan has a skill that most general contractors cannot boast: “I can break dance.”

Mike J. Wilkinson, 32 – Oklahoma City

Assistant Vice President of Enrollment Services, Mid-America Christian University
Mike Wilkinson came to the United States from Caracas, Venezuela, to play baseball at Mid-America Christian University, but after collecting his bachelor’s degree, MACU couldn’t stand to see him go. Now, years later, Wilkinson has worked his way up the ranks. He has the rewarding job of working with young people as they make some of the biggest decisions in their lives. “I am so grateful for the many opportunities Mid-America Christian University has given me because this has been the perfect place to express my creativity, love for people and passion for entrepreneurship,” he says. And after his nine years at MACU, Wilkinson believes that “‘being real before being right’ and ‘you have two ears and one mouth for a reason’” are two adages to follow. When he’s not helping to shape the future of the college, he’s spending his time with the dogs at A New Leash on Life in OKC. “Serving as a therapy dog handler has been an amazing experience,” he says.

Kimberley Worrell, 30 – Oklahoma City

Associate Development Director, Oklahoma City Museum of Art
The Oklahoma City Museum of Art continues to become a more important part of Oklahoma’s culture each year, and Kimberley Worrell, associate development director for the museum, has been able to play a part of that growth. Worrell oversees fundraising and donor relations, event planning for the museum’s three major fundraisers (Renaissance Ball, Omelette Party and ArtonTAP) and serves as the museum’s liaison to the OKCMOA Moderns young patrons board. “I love being able to look back on the work achieved through fundraising and development and see the tangible impact it has on the museum and OKC community through the visual arts, whether that is through a major exhibition to visit the museum or through our learning and engagement or outreach programming.” If she could choose another career, it would be in the arts, “either as a dance studio owner or dance teacher, sharing my love of the performing arts.”

Carrie M. Law, 38 – Sulphur

Executive Officer of Hospital and Clinic Excellence, Chickasaw Nation Department of Health
The word “excellence” is right in Carrie Law’s job title, and she embodies that high quality standard in several ways. Along with being a licensed pharmacist, Law oversees several facets of a hospital and three satellite clinics. Writing policy and procedure and leading her team keep Law extremely busy, but her co-workers share the heavy load. “I am surrounded by a work family that is caring and thoughtful,” she says. “I wouldn’t be the person I am today without my work family.” But her real-life family is a major source of joy for Law, too. After a long day, she enjoys “spending time with my beautiful 6-year-old son and husband – we love to camp and be outdoors.” A big travel enthusiast, Law carves time out to explore new places. “Every year I have to go on a trip to the beach somewhere,” she says. “I love that my son is getting old enough to enjoy it.” And her motto? “Set the standard, raise the bar, and let excellence speak for itself.”

Ronald Timoshenko 31, Tulsa

Director and Head of Engineering, ConsumerAffairs
At only 31, Ronald Timoshenko has found great success in his distinctive circumstances. “I was born in Soviet Russia and my family came over to the United States as communist refugees,” he says. “We came to realize the American dream.” As head of engineering at ConsumerAffairs, Timoshenko works day in and day out mapping the technical future for the company. “What I love most about my job is the fact that I get to come to work everyday and be a part of the team that’s revolutionizing the customer experience industry,” he says. Off the clock, Timoshenko utilizes his right-brained skills as an artist. “My favorite stress-reliever is to spend time in my paint studio with my wife,” he says. “We drink cocktails, listen to music and paint the night away.” Why Timoshenko is so successful at such a young age stems from an idea that many people overlook in today’s corporate world. “The best advice I’ve ever received is to compete with myself, not with others.”

Dr. Michael Sughrue, 38 – Oklahoma City

Neurosurgeon, Stephenson Cancer Center
Dr. Michael Sughrue has one of the most complicated jobs in the medical profession – he focuses exclusively on adult brain tumors, many of which are deemed inoperable by other medical centers. Performing nearly 400 operations a year, Sughrue changes the lives of people who were once given bleak diagnoses. He was a founding member of the Comprehensive Brain Tumor Center at OU and now works as the director while also co-authoring textbooks and teaching classes on minimally invasive brain tumor surgery. Sughrue spends much of his off time learning more about the brain, but traveling is a personal passion he pursues. The one place he’s always wanted to visit? “North Korea – and I have!” Sughrue’s success is inspiring, but it wasn’t without hard work, determination and a bit of advice from his uncle: “Don’t ever let finances limit your path in life.”

David Rothbaum Jankowsky, 38 – Tulsa

Founder, Francis Renewable Energy, LLC
David Jankowsky has a passion for renewable energy, and strives to open up our state to that concept. He battles against several factors as he advocates for solar, geothermal and other off-grid technologies, but remains hopeful that progress will be made. “We at FRE love the challenge of creating a market and unlocking that potential, which we know will be transformative for the state of Oklahoma,” he says. Out of the office, Jankowsky is a frequent volunteer at Iron Gate, a food kitchen and pantry in Tulsa, and believes children should start charity work early. “There is no better education you can provide your kids than volunteering for those less fortunate,” he says. “Not only does it teach the value of hard work, but it broadens perspective.” Jankowsky believes “plain and simple hard work” led to his success – but other factors were at play, too. In fact, if his life were a movie, he says the title would be Lucky: The David Jankowsky Story – an Unauthorized Biopic by Judd Apatow.

Elizabeth “Bessy” Osburn, 35 – Tulsa

Senior Vice President of Government Affairs, Tulsa Regional Chamber
Tulsa born and bred, Elizabeth Osburn is the voice of the business community at the Tulsa Regional Chamber. Bottom line: she makes sure policymakers hear the concerns of local businesses. She also manages the chamber’s two political action committees, along with maintaining relationships with elected officials on every level of government. Osburn deeply appreciates the respect her coworkers have for her two jobs – as a VP and a mother. “It’s a juggle to balance work and family, but I’m incredibly proud to be part of an organization that values and encourages working mothers,” she says. Osburn takes time out of her schedule to volunteer at St. John’s Episcopal, United Way, John 3:16 Mission and several other nonprofits. Lastly, she has a heritage not many would guess. “Don’t let the red hair fool you – I’m Cherokee Indian and my middle name is Ahnawake,” she says. “It means ‘bright eyes’ in Cherokee and was my grandmother’s name.”

Dr. Eva Sawheny, 37 – Edmond

Pulmonary Critical Care Sleep Medicine Physician, Oklahoma Heart Hospital
Along with moving across the pond from Hungary to continue her medical career, Dr. Eva Sawheny has won a slew of awards for her skills and compassion as a physician. Her normal day includes caring for patients in the ICU, providing consults and visiting with patients in the pulmonary and sleep medicine clinics. Although most people could see themselves in another career, that isn’t the case with Sawheny – since high school in Europe, Sawheny has “never looked at other career options.” She is also a proud mother of two. “I sincerely enjoy spending time with my family. They are the key to my success,” she says. “After a difficult day, having my two beautiful daughters, Kyra and Zoey, run and hug me as I walk through the door relieves me of all my stress for a moment.” If that wasn’t heartwarming enough, she also met her husband, Nitin, on their very first day of medical school.