Five alumni recognized in Crain's 20 In their 20s

Five CSU alumni are included in this year’s class of Crain's Cleveland 20 in Their 20s, which celebrates the region’s best and brightest young professionals. Lauretta Amanour (MPA ’21), Alex Guthrie (MBA ’18), Sadie Jones (MA ’21), Samia Shaheen (BA ’19, JD ’22), and Kyra Wells (BA ’20) were recognized for their impressive work, commitment, and accomplishments in their respective fields. Read more about each of the honorees. 

Lauretta Amanour (MPA ‘21) 

Lauretta Amanour serves as the events manager at the Cleveland Foundation, where she facilitates collaboration and coordinates events within the foundation’s headquarters and MidTown Collaboration Center.

Born in Ghana, Amanour moved to the U.S. in 2001 and later earned her master’s of public administration from Cleveland State University. Amanour is passionate about helping others and finds motivation in seeing people from her community succeed. She also emphasizes the importance of mentorship in her career and through her work mentoring Black and brown girls via the Blushing Orchids Mentoring Academy, which she founded.  

Additionally, she launched Young Ghanaian Professionals, a network dedicated to supporting Ghanaians in Cleveland. Her commitment to building relationships and empowering others has been recognized by her peers, including Cleveland Foundation president Lillian Kuri, who praised Amanour’s creativity and her ability to connect people across the community. 

Alex Guthrie (MBA ‘18) 

Alex Guthrie has been instrumental in bringing professional tennis to Cleveland, playing a key role in organizing major events like Tennis in the Land, Ohio’s biggest women’s sports event.  

A former college tennis player at John Carroll University and head girls’ tennis coach at Mayfield High School, Guthrie’s passion for the sport led him to work with Topnotch Management, where he helped grow its events division.  

During COVID-19, Guthrie’s creativity shone as he organized a successful exhibition series for professional players when live events were canceled. Now, he’s back to managing in-person tennis events, something he’s truly passionate about. His mentor, Case Western Reserve University’s head men’s tennis coach Todd Wojtkowski, describes Guthrie as one of the most important people behind the growing tennis scene in Cleveland, valued for his reliability and attention to detail. 

Sadie Jones (MA ‘21) 

Sadie Jones works as a Geographic Information System (GIS) manager at the Western Reserve Land Conservancy, where she maps and analyzes geographical data to support environmental preservation and sustainable land use.  

After earning her biology degree from Ursuline College and a master’s in environmental studies from Cleveland State University, she found her passion for GIS, turning complex data into actionable insights for community development.  

Jones leads a GIS team at the Land Conservancy that informs city officials and enhances urban planning efforts. Her work has included projects like creating pocket parks and analyzing data from thousands of properties to identify areas for improvement. In 2022, she was part of a team awarded for outstanding GIS use in the workplace.  

Jones also serves on the Land Conservancy’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee and mentors interns. Outside of work, she coaches youth softball, drawing on skills from her sports background to emphasize teamwork and time management. She believes her work is about collaboration and positively impacting the community.

Samia Shaheen (BA ’19, JD ’22)  

Samia Shaheen is a labor and employment attorney at Vorys, where she has made an impact on significant cases involving local, state, and federal agencies.  

As a first-generation Lebanese American and the first in her family to graduate from college, Shaheen is passionate about education and aims to inspire others from similar backgrounds to pursue careers in law. Known for her bright mind and magnetic personality, Shaheen is deeply committed to mentorship and actively participates in support networks, including the Arab American Bar Association and Vorys’s diversity and women’s networks. 

Her dedication has earned her praise from colleagues, who note her maturity and strong work ethic. Shaheen aspires to make partner at her firm and hopes to play a meaningful role in the Northeast Ohio legal community, giving back to the community that has supported her growth. She encourages her mentees to stay true to themselves and strive for balance in their lives. 

Kyra Wells (BA ‘20) 

Kyra Wells is the creative marketing designer for American Greetings, where she develops retail advertising campaigns for major seasons like Mother’s Day, Christmas, and Valentine’s Day. 

Inspired by her parents' creativity, especially her father's, Wells discovered her passion for graphic design in high school after a professor encouraged her to pursue it. She later earned her bachelor's degree in graphic design from Cleveland State University.  

Wells also teaches at Cuyahoga Community College, where her design journey began. Known for her positive attitude and determination, she has significantly impacted her roles, including at Act 3 Creative, where she honed her skills and built her confidence.  

Now co-president of the Cleveland chapter of the American Institute of Graphic Arts, she recently hosted a workshop called “You’re Not an Imposter,” aimed at fostering creative confidence among local artists. Wells is dedicated to helping others grow and succeed in their creative journeys, emphasizing the importance of mindset alongside technical skills.