Georgia Fintech Academy Announces 2026 Fintech Meetup Future Leaders Cohort
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Laura Gibson-Lamothe
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Atlanta, GA — February 27, 2026 — The Georgia Fintech Academy announced today the 2026 Fintech Meetup Future Leaders Cohort, a curated group of students and alumni selected to represent Georgia’s next generation of fintech talent at Fintech Meetup, one of the industry’s largest global gatherings.
The Future Leaders Cohort includes ten students and alumni from institutions across Georgia, including Georgia State University, Kennesaw State University, and the University of Georgia. Participants span multiple academic and early-career stages, reflecting the depth and diversity of Georgia’s fintech talent pipeline.
“Early in my career, it took years before I had the opportunity to attend a major industry conference,” said Laura Gibson-Lamothe, Executive Director of the Georgia Fintech Academy. “That experience shaped how I think about access and opportunity. The Future Leaders Cohort is about providing early exposure and real connectivity sooner, so emerging talent can learn faster, build confidence, and engage directly with the industry.”
As part of the cohort experience, participants will attend Fintech Meetup and engage with industry professionals through conference programming, structured networking, and student- and alumni-led career conversations. These conversations will be featured through Fintech Meetup Mashup, a short-form digital content campaign designed to highlight early-career perspectives and demystify fintech career pathways.
Alumni in the 2026 Fintech Meetup Future Leaders Cohort
The alumni participants represent leading organizations across the fintech and financial services ecosystem:
- Qazi Haq — EY | Georgia State University
- Astrid Cuellar Benitez — Truist | Kennesaw State University
- Cameron VandeWiele — Ramp | Georgia State University
- Evan Andersen — Optimized Payments | University of Georgia
- Jules Ferguson — PayTech Women | Kennesaw State University
Student Participants
The cohort also includes current students enrolled in fintech-related programs across Georgia’s public universities:
- Clarissa Guzman — Kennesaw State University (Fintech, Master’s Program)
- Benjamin Willhite-Mettler — Kennesaw State University (Fintech, Master’s Program)
- Katherine Corsten — University of Georgia (Fintech Certificate Program)
- Linzey Nguyen — University of Georgia (Fintech Certificate Program)
- Kaveri Channappa — University of Georgia (Fintech Certificate Program)
The 2026 Fintech Meetup Future Leaders Cohort reinforces the Georgia Fintech Academy’s mission to connect education, industry, and opportunity by creating experiential learning moments that extend beyond the classroom.
Additional content and insights from the cohort will be shared in the weeks leading up to the event.