UNF Alumni

Each year, the Jacksonville Business Journal honors 40 rising stars in the local business world who have distinguished themselves in their companies, their communities and their industries — all before their 40th birthday.

As always, we’re excited when we see Ospreys on the list, but in 2026, University of North Florida alumni made up 20%! We figured they deserve a little more recognition this summer.

First up, Director at SS&C Technologies, Alexandria Palangio Hernandez (’08), is working at the center of global investment strategy, leading a team focused on alternative investments. Her work sits at the intersection of finance and machine learning, helping streamline complex data and, more importantly, expanding access to investment opportunities that historically weren’t built for everyone.

At England-Thims & Miller, Inc., Grant Bledsoe (’15), Principal Vice President, is deep in the mechanics of a growing city. From utility capacity to stormwater systems, he’s working on the infrastructure problems that only show up when a region scales quickly. At the same time, he’s investing in the next generation of engineers, ensuring those elevating in their fields are ready for a more complex version of Jacksonville.

If you’ve been to a large-scale event in Jacksonville, there’s a good chance Niko Negron (’16), Vice President of Business Strategy & Logistics at PRI Productions, had something to do with it. Niko moved from client-facing sales into operations, now leading logistics, warehouse teams, and full event ex*****on. It’s the kind of behind-the-scenes work that doesn’t get spotlighted, but without it, none of those moments actually happen.

And at the JAX Chamber, Alanna Luksha (’22), Vice President of Events & NextUp JAX, is thinking less about individual events and more about the bigger picture, how leaders across business, nonprofit, and civic spaces actually connect and move ideas forward. Through work like NextUp JAX and leadership programming, she’s helping build the network that decisions in this city depend on.

They’re all working in completely different spaces, but they keep showing up at the same pressure points: growth, infrastructure, connection, and what comes next for Jacksonville. Tune in tomorrow to see the next four!

We’ve shared the other new members of the Alumni Association Board of Directors, but our final one represents an additional 9 Ospreys! Patrick Courson’s (’06) family's connection to the University of North Florida spans more than four decades, three generations, and nearly every branch of the family tree.

The legacy began with Patrick's mother-in-law, Sharon Achey (’84, M.A. Social Studies). Over the years, it grew to include Patrick's brother, Rick Courson (’91, B.B.A.), sister-in-law Lisa Courson (’91, B.S.N.), wife Tara Courson (’04, B.A. Political Science), brother-in-law Travis Achey (’11, B.A. Criminal Justice), and Patrick himself (’06, B.B.A. T&L).

The next generation followed. His son Nicholas (’16, B.H.A.) and daughters Anastasia (’21, B.A. Psychology) and Lauren (’26, B.B.A. Marketing) graduated from UNF. This fall, his youngest Trevor will begin his first semester as a mechanical engineering student, continuing a family tradition that has become woven into the fabric of their lives.

For Patrick, UNF entered the picture when he returned to Jacksonville after serving in military transportation and logistics. While working full-time and raising a family, he enrolled in UNF Coggin College of Business' transportation and logistics program, attending classes in the evenings and on weekends. The degree helped him transition into the civilian transportation industry and launch a successful career in operations, sales, and executive leadership.

The Coursons have remaAtlantic Logisticss of the Osprey community. They've attended North Florida Ospreys baseball and basketball games, participated in Swoop the Loop, explored the campus trails, and watched the University evolve. Now, North Florida Ospreysard, Patrick is looking forward to helping the university continue that growth.

For the Courson family, UNF has been the backdrop for graduations, game days, family traditions, and lifelong friendships. And as one Courson prepares to graduate, another begins their journey, continuing their lifelong legacy within The Nest.

As we prepare for the upcoming school year, it’s time to introduce the newest members of the Alumni Association Board! Get to know them as you’ll be seeing them a bunch this year!

First up, Carleigh Eagle (’21) earned her Bachelor of Science in Physics from the College of Arts and Sciences. She is now a Lead Engineer at Mayo Clinic, working in additive manufacturing to create patient-specific medical models used in real procedures. She was recently named UNF’s Young Alumni Award winner, and it makes sense once you see the work she’s doing. She has already contributed to more than 1,000 builds and is continuing her education while working full-time.

Next up, Dan Davis (’92, ’97) earned his Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing and Management and a Master of Business Administration from the UNF Coggin College of Business. He has built a long career that now has him serving as Senior Vice President at Bank of America. His wife, Beth Davis (’97), is an alumna and all 4 of his kids, Brooke (’22), Brantley (’26), Brynn and Bryce, have ended up at UNF. Outside of work, he keeps things interesting with improv comedy and a neighborhood podcast.

Adrian Wilson (’17) earned his Master of Statistics from the UNF Graduate School. A brother of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity and former track and field star, he’s remained rooted in the community through coaching track and field and cross country in addition to serving on boards to grow the sport. His impact shows up in the relationships he builds every day with athletes and families, and in the consistency he brings as a mentor and leader.

Stay tuned as we have many more to come…