The Neal-Marshall Alumni Club is pleased to announce this year’s honorees for the Rising Star Award and the Alumni Achievement Award. The Rising Star Award recognizes the accomplishments of emerging professionals and their growing body of work, and the Alumni Achievement Award is designed to recognize the lifetime accomplishments of Indiana University alumni for their body of work as professionals. Both awards will be presented at the 17th annual Jazz Brunch en Blanc on Saturday, July 20, 2024.
2024 Rising Star Honorees
Shamika Anderson, BS’15
IUPUI Purdue School of Engineering and Technology
Shamika Anderson founded Y.E.S. Consulting in September 2020 to serve emerging black businesses with effective project management and grow the potential of other entrepreneurs with a passion for creating opportunities and wealth.
Anderson is the Financial Secretary for Jack and Jill of America, Inc. Indianapolis Chapter, and has served as the Scholarship pageant Chair for Miss Indianapolis Black Expo Scholarship Pageant for 10 years.
Growing up in the inner city in low-income housing on the East side of Indianapolis. Higher Education was not a topic mentioned in her household and she was not exposed to programs or organizations that would aid in the development of her future. Despite these humble beginnings and obstacles along the way, she is now a wife, mother, college graduate, technology industry professional, and entrepreneur!
Alan Bacon, BA’03
IU Bloomington College of Arts + Sciences, Department of African American and African Diaspora Studies
Alan Bacon is the Founder and Chief Strategist of GANGGANG, in addition to serving as co-curator for BUTTER and We. The Culture: Works by The Eighteen Art Collective at Newfields in Indianapolis. Bacon is a passionate thought leader who works to innovate and introduce culture to create more equitable opportunities for artists and creatives. Alan began his career at Harrison College, eventually serving as president of their northwest campus, where he built a 12-year network of relationships in business and education. After Harrison College, Alan worked for a Johannesburg-based technology company, where he was exposed to global poverty, an experience that made way for an opportunity at the United Way of Indianapolis. There he served as the senior director of social innovation, leading a million-dollar fund to figure out poverty in central Indiana. Alan is an Indiana University grad, a musician, a style icon, and a proud father and husband.
2024 Alumni Achievement Honorees
Darren Collier, BGS/AC’90
Darren concentrates his practice on the state of Illinois and federal government relations, with a specific focus on lobbying the Illinois General Assembly in Springfield, Ill. With decades of experience in Illinois state government and in the private sector, he helps clients navigate a wide variety of public policy issues. Darren is the Sole Owner and Principal Lobbyist for Maxfair Inc., which provides government representation and strategic planning for a diverse group of clients.
Prior to Maxfair, Darren was a Senior Principal at Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies. He currently remains associated with Cozen O’Connor as a Strategic Consultant. Darren previously worked as the executive director of government affairs for the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME). Prior to his time at CME, he spent nine years assisting clients with government relations and lobbying at two AmLaw 100 law firms. He developed and managed a diverse client roster of Fortune 100 companies and assisted clients at both the state and federal level. Prior to his time in the private sector, Darren served as the deputy general counsel and director of legislative affairs for the Illinois Housing Development Authority. He also served as an executive assistant and policy aide for former Illinois Attorney General Jim Ryan. Darren earned his bachelor’s degree from Indiana University Bloomington (B.A. ’90) and his law degree from Capital University Law and Graduate Center (J.D. 1994).
Sherry D. Davis, BS’00
Kelley School of Business
Sherry D. Davis is the Chief Procurement Officer of Eli Lilly and Company. She joined Lilly as a financial consultant with Lilly Research Laboratories in 2006. While at Lilly, Davis has held several domestic and international roles including an assignment in Johannesburg, South Africa as Finance Leader for Access Expansion, which focused on extending the reach of Lilly’s medicines in developing countries, and CFO and Treasurer of Lilly Del Caribe, in Puerto Rico. Most recently, she was the CFO of Lilly USA, LLC and Immunology Business Unit.
Prior to joining Lilly, Davis worked at PricewaterhouseCoopers and in the accounting department of Ford Motor Company. Davis is a certified public accountant and maintains an active license in Indiana. She earned dual Bachelor of Science degrees in accounting and finance in 2000 from the Indiana University Kelley School of Business. In 2021, Davis was inducted into the Kelley School of Business Academy of Alumni Fellows.
Davis currently serves on the Boards of Eskenazi Health Foundation (Audit Committee Chair) and Lynx Capital. Previous Board experience includes Citizens Energy Group, Tindley Charter Schools, Indiana University Institute for International Business, Kelley Alumni Association, and Chair of the INCPA Society’s Diversity Council.