Women Leaders Honorees Announced

OCEAN CITY — Forty-five leading Eastern Shore women were chosen this week as honorees for the “Women Leaders” campaign, the second installment in The Dispatch’s Shore Stars awards program.

Immediately after the program’s first campaign, “Charitable Souls”, in March, advertising commenced seeking “Women Leaders” nominations. The ad read, “Do you know of a leading woman in Wicomico, Worcester or Sussex counties who distinguishes herself in business, philanthropy, church, medicine, activities or any other way?”

Four weeks of ads resulted in more than 100 nominations being received. Those nominated were notified by mail last month and asked to respond to a biographical questionnaire by Monday, April 18. Sixty-five women responded, according to The Dispatch Publisher/Editor Steve Green, and a committee narrowed the field to the 45 honorees on Tuesday.

The honorees will be recognized in a commemorative magazine inserted in the newspaper on May 20 and presented awards at a reception on June 8 at Lighthouse Sound.

The 45 honorees are Debbie Abbott, Laura Deeley Bren, Alane Capen, Charlotte K. Cathell, Ann Coates, Kenille Davies, Jennifer Dawicki David, Annemarie Dickerson, Nancy Dofflemyer, Barbara Duncan, Janet Dudley-Eshbach, Mary Tawney Eastman, Teresa Fields, Erin Fitzsimmons, Beth Gismondi, Melanie Devine Gladden, Liz Gregory, Amanda L. Jenkins, Susan L. Jones, Toni Keiser, Peggy Kent, Irene Kordick, Gwen Lehman, Merle Marsh, Vera McCullough, Kathleen Momme, Claudia Nagle, Peggy Naleppa, Mitzi Perdue, Kathy Phillips, Kelley Rakow, Terri Sexton, Pam Stansell, Carrie Subity, Lauren Taylor, Michele Thomas, Thelma B. Thompson, Heather Towers, June Walker, Lisa Warford, Ruth Waters, Jayme Weeg, Stephanie T. Willey, Andrea H. Williams and Carol C. Withers.

“What I like about this group is the diverse nature of their backgrounds,” Green said. “Many are successful business owners, while others are philanthropic leaders, esteemed career professionals, educators and directors of nonprofit organizations. We have a chief of police, a family court judge, a register of wills, an elementary school principal, a high school teacher, environmental advocates, the list goes on. It’s a distinguished group we are thrilled to honor.”

The campaign is sponsored by Peninsula Regional Medical Center, Park Place Jewelers, Card’s Computers, The Bank of Delmarva and Bartash Printing and presented by The Dispatch.