Leading Ladies partnership honors 40 women making an impact

As part of Women’s History Month, three Tuscarawas County organizations formed a partnership to recognize 40 Leading Ladies in the county who are making a significant impact as community leaders.

Two of the partners, the Women’s Success Series Steering Committee and the Lucille Nussdorfer Tuscarawas County Woman of the Year Award Steering Committee, are leading organizations that recognize female leadership each year through an inspirational women’s leadership speakers series and awards program. The third partner, the Tuscarawas County Chamber of Commerce, is a leader in recognizing excellence in economic development.

The partnership divided the 40 Leading Ladies into two categories: 20 women age 40 and older and 20 women age 40 and younger. The women were selected based on their impact in their workplace, in their field and in the community. The 2026 class of leaders is as follows:

20 Leading Ladies 40 and Over:

Anne Bruno — Anne Bruno Insights

Luminita Bunta — Lacey PAC Adaptive Movement Center

Jill Cuningham — Tuscarawas County Senior Center

Amanda Fontana — New Philadelphia City Schools

Sue Gaiser — Biscotti by the Bunch

Diane Glazer — Cleveland Clinic Union Hospital

Stacey Gordon — Novogradac & Company LLP

Dr. Mariann Harding — Kent State University at Tuscarawas

Bonnie James — retired, Community Hospice

Marissa Marshall — Lacey PAC Adaptive Movement Center

Dede McCartney — Back Roads Advertising

Eva McClave — Tuscarawas County Board of Developmental Disabilities

Jo Obermiller — WTUZ Radio/WJER Radio

Michelle Pipes — New Philadelphia City Schools

Farrah Raines — ECOESC and Lacey PAC Adaptive Movement Center

Erica Rozek — HARCATUS Tri-County C.A.O. Inc.

Veronica Spidell — Tuscarawas County Job and Family Services

Erica Van Pelt — American Red Cross

Colleen “Coke” Yaggi — Yaggi’s Cheese House

Vicki Yates — Tuscarawas County Senior Center

20 Leading Ladies 40 and Under:

Jade Boffo — Tuscarawas County Public Library

Ashley Bryant — Project Grinch Dust

Paige Dugan — Access Tusc

Rachel Dunfee — Tuscarawas County Court of Common Pleas

Kayla Dyer — Access Tusc

Audrey Ernst — Vagabond Coffeehouse

Lacee Felix — Tuscarawas and Carroll County assistant prosecutor

Gabriela Ferguson — Ohio Billing Inc.

Kelsie Gunnoe — Ohio’s Hospice Foundation

Emma Hinkle — Tuscarawas Philharmonic

Kaitlin Jagunic — New Philadelphia City Schools

Haley Kimble — ProVia

Amanda Lutze — Rainbow Connection

Kelcey Mason — Multi-County Juvenile Attention System

Jamie Neal — Garaway High School

Tabitha Renner — Tuscarawas County Public Library System

Tara Risner — Haven Shala

Alicia Robertson — SIMONA Boltaron

Mandy Thomas — Big Brothers Big Sisters

Marita Tornabene — Sacred Heart Church

The Leading Ladies will be recognized for this honor the morning of Friday, June 26 at Kent State Tuscarawas during the Women’s Success Series Speakers Program. Featured speaker Dr. Vicki King-Maple will represent OMEGA.

For more information, contact Wendy Zucal, director of the Dennison Railroad Depot Museum, at director@dennisondepot.org

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