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Change is coming fast to many sectors in 2025, and the drivers of that change are worth watching. From developments in neurosurgical care to advances in artificial intelligence, these individuals stand out as especially creative examples of bringing new thinking to bear on pressing challenges. Their work is shaping their respective industries and also setting new benchmarks for innovation and adaptability. While each of them operates in distinct industries, they share a capacity for taking risks and finding practical solutions as their industries rapidly evolve. They also share a commitment to educating and assisting others in adapting to these changes.
In neurosurgical care: Patrick F. Doherty, Ph.D.
Dr. Patrick F. Doherty has been working to integrate advanced surgical technologies, such as the ExcelsiusGPS robotic system, into neurosurgical procedures to increase precision and patient safety. At the Yale School of Medicine (where he serves as an Associate Clinical Professor) and at Yale Medicine’s Lawrence + Memorial Hospital (where he serves as Chief of Neurosurgery), Dr. Doherty has implemented protocols to improve both technical precision and patient-centered care.
In 2025, Dr. Doherty is stepping beyond his past work on improving individual neurosurgical procedures to make system-wide improvements that expand access to specialized neurosurgical care. He is using the same patient-centered approach he previously applied to surgical techniques and is applying that approach to establish new standards for accessibility in neurosurgery.
In PR: Robyn Bordes
Robyn Bordes believes public relations today requires more than just the conventional single-account executive model. Given the diversification of channels through which people hear about brands, a team-based approach may be the future of PR. She believes collective expertise is needed to achieve the desired outcomes. With that philosophy, Bordes founded Illumination PR, an agency that integrates influencer marketing, media relations, and brand development strategies for clients in multiple industries. Under her leadership as CEO, the firm has grown into a multimillion-dollar enterprise that has secured press coverage in major publications like US Weekly and In Touch Magazine.
Bordes began her ventures as an entrepreneur at age 29, creating various startups and eventually purchasing the restaurant where she had worked for 15 years. Today, her efforts are informed by both her past experience in the service industry and the business acumen she has developed over many years of founding and leading companies. Her approach to PR emphasizes both strategic brand development and service delivery. Besides leading Illumination PR, she mentors emerging public relations professionals, sharing her insights on the process of building an agency and scaling up to achieve sustainable growth.
In international real estate development: Paul Scribner
Paul Scribner, CEO of Raven Resources Corp and Chairman of General Holdings, leads international development projects across multiple continents. In 2025, Scribner is pursuing projects that combine commercial development with community impact, from the pre-development of Hasbro-themed indoor waterpark resorts in the United States to the development of financial platforms and strategic investment initiatives across multiple jurisdictions in the Middle East. Successfully executing these projects requires Scribner to manage complex international partnerships, thinking about real estate and financial development in broader ways than just conventional market-specific development.
In tax planning: Charles Njoya
CNH Advisors assists high-income professionals with tax planning strategies, building compliant plans that help clients reduce effective tax rates while growing tax-free wealth. The agency is the brainchild of founder and CEO Charles Njoya, and in 2024, his firm launched an AI-powered tax strategy platform designed to expand access to sophisticated planning tools for a broader range of professionals. The platform provides both tax code analysis and wealth-building strategy.
Now, as 2026 changes to tax law draw near, Njoya’s work at CHN Advisors is shifting focus as he helps clients prepare for potential impacts and plan for systematic wealth-building in a different tax environment. For Njoya, creating comprehensive financial strategies entails more than just traditional tax code analysis, and he has used recent advancements in AI to develop planning tools that address both current and future tax considerations so that his clients can weather changes to the tax code and also continue working toward their ultimate financial objectives.
Technology in the legal sector: Charlyn Ho
AI has made creative solutions possible in more sectors than just tax planning — but it has also brought new legal liabilities and exposure to companies. Charlyn Ho, founder and CEO of Rikka, is working on both AI implementation and regulation, offering guidance to government agencies and Fortune 500 companies as AI-driven tools and platforms change how organizations in both sectors operate. Rikka helps implement practical but complex technological integrations within existing legal frameworks. Ho brings to this work both an extensive educational background — with degrees from the Wharton School, Harvard Business School, and Georgetown Law — and a history of service in the U.S. Navy.
Ho’s work places her at the intersection of law, technology, and policy — a unique blend of expertise. In 2025, Ho intends to scale her impact by developing the Rikka Academy and Rikka Government programs, which are designed to address swiftly changing legal technology needs across many sectors so that more agencies and companies can implement increasingly complex AI systems while maintaining regulatory compliance.
In hospitality: Paul Desbaillets
Operating in Montreal’s competitive restaurant industry, Burgundy Lion Group co-founder Paul Desbaillets fuses hospitality management and community engagement. The group’s flagship location, Burgundy Lion Pub, serves as a hub for cultural experiences while showcasing sustainable practices. Desbaillets also leads the GOAL Initiatives Foundation, which develops programs that connect hospitality operations with community development, using technology to enhance local experiences.
In 2025, Desbaillets hopes to reach a broader audience with a new podcast, The 1st Half Culture Show, which will explore the interconnections between sports, culture, and societal change.
In plumbing: Richard Behney
Richard Behney, founder of AttaBoy Plumbing, has also founded the Million Dollar Plumber platform to help owners of plumbing companies rethink their approaches to business development. Through the platform’s Success Academy program, Behney helps business owners develop new systems for pricing optimization, customer acquisition, and operational efficiency. Several participants in the program have built more sustainable enterprises, with business valuations ranging from $5 million to $30 million.
Like Paul Desbaillets in the hospitality industry, Behney hopes to use a new podcast to share his approach to business development more widely. In 2025, his podcast Potty Talk Live will focus on offering solutions to common challenges that plumbing company owners face, from business valuation to work-life balance in a demanding industry.
In enterprise computing: Shirish Nimgaonkar
In the world of enterprise computing, Shirish Nimgaonkar’s company eBlissAI is developing AI-driven systems for autonomous IT management. These AI-driven automation systems are designed to help businesses improve the efficiency of their IT infrastructure. Some of eBlissAI’s client organizations have reported returns on investment of up to 4,500% (45x) after implementing automated processes for IT management.
Now Nimgaonkar is looking beyond just operational efficiency. In 2025, he aims to lead the development of self-healing system capabilities. With the enterprise AI market projected to reach $167.42 billion by 2030, he believes the industry will need expanded and autonomous computing solutions that not only optimize efficiency but also evolve their security protocols.
In cryptocurrency: George Kushner
George Kushner has brought expertise in traditional finance (TradFi) to cryptocurrency trading. From that background, he brings a customer service-focused approach to the world of cryptocurrency exchange. Inspired to update cryptocurrency trading based on his own experience helping his son open a trading account, he developed a platform called H2cryptO to provide 24/7 live support to cryptocurrency traders.
Given his TradFi expertise, Kushner set out to develop increased security measures and accessibility features — especially amid rising mainstream interest in digital assets. H2cryptO partners with a U.S.-chartered trust company for asset custody and security protocols. In 2025, H2cryptO’s exchange will integrate over 40 global liquidity providers while maintaining strict no-rehypothecation policies. Kushner continues to develop trading tools that bridge conventional and cryptocurrency markets.
In contemporary Christian memoir: Sarah Dickens
The publishing industry and book culture are undergoing extensive change, much like other industries. Like the entrepreneurs above who have brought expertise from one sector into another (such as applying TradFi principles to cryptocurrency or bringing lessons learned from Naval service to legal technology), novelist Sarah Dickens has achieved success in a competitive publishing environment in part by drawing upon her background in journalism.
As the former news editor for Atlanta Christian Voice, Dickens applies journalistic precision to the work of writing her Christian memoir series, bringing together factual reporting and personal, spiritual reflection.
Dickens’ recent debut, ‘A Victory Song: Beneath the Veil,’ introduced readers to her faith-based storytelling. In 2025, Dickens will release” A Victory Song: Thoughts of Peace,” her second instalment in the series, continuing to explore themes of spiritual development and personal growth. A third instalment, “A Victory Song: Thoughts of Power,” is currently in development.
