All six of this year鈥檚 Outstanding Young Alumni award recipients hold a degree from the College of Arts and Sciences, showcasing the college鈥檚 ability to produce innovative and creative alumni who achieve career success under the age of 36. The awards ceremony will take place in the Sam and Martha Gibbons Alumni Center on April 9.
Meet the recipients:
Maya Brown, Sociology and Africana Studies 鈥15
Maya Brown is an educator, political consultant and lobbyist. She founded MB Strategies LLC, a political and public affairs consulting firm leading multimillion-dollar communications and advocacy campaigns and driving statewide initiatives to increase civic engagement. Brown was named among Florida Politics鈥 鈥150 Most Influential People in Florida Politics鈥 in 2022 and INFLUENCE Magazine鈥檚 鈥30 Under 30鈥 in 2020.
Raechel Canipe, Psychology 鈥13
Raechel Canipe is the founder and CEO of Women in Tech & Entrepreneurship. A venture capitalist, she is dedicated to uplifting the next generation of leaders and creating pathways to entrepreneurship. Canipe also serves as chief operating officer for RevStar, a digital transformation agency offering practical AI solutions, and is a former chair of Emerging Leaders of Tampa Bay.
Dr. Nicole Dinescu-Munoz, Biomedical Sciences 鈥13 and MS Medical Sciences 鈥15
Dr. Nicole Dinescu-Munoz is a physician and medical director at Tampa General Medical Group, where she leads clinical care and strategic initiatives. A community health leader, she has lectured extensively, presented her research internationally and advocated for improving access to care and health education. Dinescu-Munoz is double board-certified in internal medicine and pediatrics and is a recipient of multiple national and institutional awards.
Zita Ballinger Fletcher, Interdisciplinary Social Sciences 鈥13
Zita Ballinger Fletcher is an award-winning author, military historian, 鈥淔orbes鈥 contributor, and journalist for 鈥淢ilitary Times鈥 and 鈥淒efense News.鈥 The first female editor of two national magazines, Fletcher has written more than 10 books and more than 100 articles on military history, earning honors from the Military Writers Society of America, the National Federation of Press Women and the Daughters of the American Revolution.
Lt. Cmdr. Paul W. Johannes, Business Economics 鈥16
Paul W. Johannes is a lieutenant commander and submarine warfare officer in the U.S. Navy. As engineer officer aboard the USS Columbia, a Los Angeles Class nuclear-powered submarine, Johannes leads a department of 75 highly trained officers and sailors in the safe operation and maintenance of a naval nuclear propulsion plant. He has led watch teams through two extended deployments to the USCENTCOM and USINDOPACOM areas of responsibility.
Dr. Ahmed-Zayn Mohamed, Biomedical Sciences and Political Science 鈥16 and MD 鈥22
Dr. Ahmed-Zayn Mohamed was the first MD/JD dual-degree candidate at the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine and Stetson University College of Law. He is an interventional radiology resident and intellectual property lawyer whose passion is innovation in health care and advancing how we care for patients and their families. Mohamed also enjoys serving in clinical and mentorship capacities and teaching the next generation of scholars.
