The Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce and Young Professionals (YP) Nashville recently honored Andreana Holowatyj, PhD, MSCI, Assistant Professor of Hematology and Oncology at Vanderbilt Health, with a Nashville Emerging Leaders Award (NELAS).
The award recognizes Middle Tennessee’s young professionals ages 21-40 across several industries for their professional achievements and community contributions.
Holowatyj, Assistant Professor, Research Director and Research Immersion Co-Director at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, is the 2026 winner in the category of “Medical, Healthcare & Wellness.”
“Winning The NELAS is a remarkable honor, especially among a talented group of changemakers in medicine. Every day I am inspired by our young adult patients with cancer,” said Holowatyj, who is also a Research Program Faculty Fellow and member of the Board of Directors for the Young Adults with Cancer Program at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center. “Our discoveries come from strong patient and community partnerships, a stellar team of staff, students and colleagues, and the support to pursue bold ideas that can transform our understanding of why cancers, like colorectal cancer, are rising in younger generations.”
Now in its 19th year, The NELAS recognize up to five finalists and one winner in various industry categories. Industry leaders serving as judges evaluate applications and choose finalists and winners based on submitted essay responses, professional achievement, demonstrated leadership, and community impact.
“This year’s NELAS winners represent the best of the best of our region’s young professionals,” said Stephanie Coleman, President and CEO of the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce. “These dynamic leaders represent Nashville’s growth and success, and we look forward to their continued engagement in the community as they advance and develop their careers.”
YP Nashville, sponsored by Belmont University’s Jack C. Massey College of Business, is the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce’s young professional initiative, connecting and empowering emerging leaders through year-round networking, leadership development, and community engagement opportunities.
“Our young professionals are driving the community forward with outstanding vision, work ethic, and dedication,” said Randy Bradley, PhD, Dean of the Jack C. Massey College of Business at Belmont University.
“A NELAS nomination is a testament to that impact, and this year’s finalists represent a talented group leading the charge. Young professionals are the heartbeat of our regional economy and seeing them recognized fills me with pride and optimism for our collective future. Congratulations on this well-deserved honor,” he said.
Holowatyj leads a renowned biomedical research program committed to tackling the rising tide of early-onset cancers among adults under age 50, for which she has also been recognized with the national 40 Under 40 in Cancer 2025 award from the Association for Value-Based Cancer Care and the 2026 Vanguard Impact Award for Colorectal Cancer Research by the Kayode Oluseun Okunoren Legacy Fund.
With funding from the National Institutes of Health and National Cancer Institute, American Cancer Society, and several foundations, her team conducts both patient-partnered clinical trials — including the Preserving Fertility After Colorectal Cancer study — and fundamental molecular investigations to answer tough, clinically-significant and important questions that will transform our biological understanding of early-onset cancer development and improve young patient care as well as outcomes in the clinic, in local communities and across the state of Tennessee.
