Eight achievers will be recognized at Muskingum County Women of Achievement banquet

ZANESVILLE − The Muskingum County Women of Achievement will have its 37th annual banquet on April 9 at the Campus Center of Zane State College.

Eight women will be honored for achieving excellence in their field of endeavor and through community service.

They are:

Jessica Bridwell Sabine is the recipient of the Josephine Phillips Health Care Award. She has served as the regional director at Muskingum County Business Incubator/TechGROWTH Ohio before joining Coler Healthcare, where she serves as chief marketing officer.

Coler is the parent company of Shrivers Pharmacy, Shrivers Hospice, Shrivers Compounding, Shrivers Home Medical and Coler LTC (Long Term Care). She also the executive director of the Shrivers Hospice Foundation.

Sabine is the co-chair of the Quality Care Partners QCP Community Challenge and is on the OneOhio Recovery Foundation Committee. 

The graduate of Maysville High School studied business administration and played volleyball and softball at Charleston Southern University in Charleston, South Carolina.

Chloe Buchanan is the recipient of the Muskingum County Youth Foundation Bright Futures Award. She is a senior at Zanesville High School and a College Credit Plus student who plans to attend the University of Cincinnati or Ohio Wesleyan University. 

She serves as the senior class vice president and is an active member of the Muskingum County Community Youth Foundation and The Community Bank Junior Board of Directors. In addition, she is a founding member of the Muskingum County Young Democrats, where she serves as secretary. Buchanan is also president of the Key Club and National Honor Society and vice president of student council.

She also plays an active role in ZHS television and sports media, is part of the mock trial team, member of the tennis team and is the only female member of the robotics team.

Outside of school Buchanan participates in dance, plays piano and is a deacon at First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). She has helped with blood drives, community dances, meals, tennis clinics, trunk-or-treat events, Community Pancake Day and shred days and is a counselor in training at Camp Christian. 

Ginger R. Hamilton is the recipient of the Mary Vashti Jones Funk Business Award.

The graduate of West Muskingum High School and Mt. Vernon Nazarene University began her banking career at Central Trust Company. She served at five financial institutions before retiring from The Community Bank. She now works for WAS Investments and Y Bridge Inc. 

Hamilton has been on the boards of Muskingum County Adult and Child Protective Services, Muskingum County Center for Seniors and the City of Zanesville Downtown Design Review. She was also on the Muskingum County Board of Developmental Disabilities Behavior Support Committee, co-chair of special ads for the Zaney Follies, Spirit of Women Ladies Night Out Committee, Diosi Travel Carr Center Golf Outing and was past president of Zanesville Kiwanis. 

She was recognized as the Kiwanian of the Year for 2005 to 2006 and received the 2025 Millennium Miracle Maker Award from adult and child protective services.

Hamilton has volunteered for numerous non-profit events including Light the Night, American Cancer Society, Operation Feed, Lace Up for Kids, Gus Macker, Helen Purcell Lunch with the Asters, Zanesville Starlight Jimmy Buffett Day, United Way Loaned Executive, Carr Center Cake Auction, Festival of Trees and the Franciscan Meals on Wheels. 

Karen Northrup Lyons is the recipient of the Muskingum Family Y Lifetime Service Award. A retired nurse who keeps her license current, Lyons volunteers for vaccination events.

Lyons graduated from Zanesville High School and Ohio University Zanesville. She began her career at Bethesda Hospital, where she worked as the head nurse of orthopedics and neurology. She then transitioned to the role of clinical director at medical specialists, serving for 20 years before moving to Southeastern Ohio Urology, where she was an office manager and nurse. 

She completed the master gardener volunteer program through Ohio State University in 2017 and has volunteered with the Muskingum Valley Garden Society and helps plant and maintain downtown flower containers. In addition, she maintains the gardens at Dr. Increase Mathews House and Mission Oaks Gardens. She's the president of the Friends of Dillon, where she helps maintain flower beds and containers at Dillon State Park, assists with events scheduled by the naturalists at the park and helps with fundraising. 

Lyons also spearheads collecting film plastic to be recycled into composite benches for the Zanesville area. Beyond gardening, she is responsible for the collection and record keeping of the plastic for the Muskingum Valley Garden Society and the Zanesville Pickleball Group. 

Katie Ware is the recipient of the Ethel Granger Schultz Young Adult Award. Ware, 26, is the executive director at Primrose Retirement Community. 

She's a graduate of West Muskingum High School and Ohio University. She completed two internships at The Inn at Chapel Grove and Otterbein at Granville. She started her career at Carriage Court Assisted Living and Memory Care as the sales and marketing director. She was the sales director for Primrose before being promoted to executive director.

Ware volunteers for several community events including the Community Pancake Day, Carr Center Cake Auction, Festival of Trees and partners with Zane State College for Random Act of Kindness. Her past service also included volunteering at Primrose for four years prior to joining the leadership team. 

Melinda Russell is the recipient of the Aldine Roach Flegal Special Recognition Award. She is the director of human resources for the Muskingum County and Guernsey County boards of developmental disabilities. 

Russell also worked at Leslie Equipment Company shortly after graduating with an associate degree from Zane State College. She holds a bachelor’s degree in human resource management and business administration from Franklin University and is completing her master’s in public administration.

Russell has been a board member and president of Zaney Follies and Rotary Club of Zanesville, is treasurer of Thursday Music Club and is a member of the Genesis Quality of Care Committee. In addition, she sings for local events and fundraisers including Stars and Stripes on the River, Tribute to Fatherhood, Storybook Christmas and Veterans Day parades. She also volunteers for local service projects to increase awareness of human trafficking, mental health and empowering women. 

Russell has been recognized with the Rising Star Award by the Rotary Club and has completed the Leadership Muskingum and the Ohio Association of County Boards Executive Development programs. 

Amanda G. Blevins is the recipient of the Winifred K. Vogt Education Award. The director of bands at Zanesville High School, she has been an advocate for music education for more than three decades.

She is a graduate of Bowling Green State University and Concordia University Chicago, where she earned a master’s degree in teacher leadership. In her early career, she worked at Coyle and Hauer Music Centers and Bishop Watterson Catholic Diocese, before working for Tri-Valley Local Schools. Bands under her direction have consistently obtained superior and excellent ratings at district and state competitions in marching and concert band contests. She has secured grants and acquired instruments for students who might otherwise not have the opportunity to participate. 

Blevins has been recognized with multiple awards including the Daybreak Rotary Teacher of Excellence, Tri-Valley Teacher of the Year, Muskingum County Educational Service Center Exemplary Teacher and Columbus Symphony Music Education Lifetime Achievement Award. In addition, she was recognized as a Grammy Music Educator Quarterfinalist and as a Grammy Music Educator Legacy Quarterfinalist. 

She engages in the community as part of the Heisey Wind Ensemble, Zaney Follies and in numerous community parades and events.

Stephanie Bridwell is the recipient of the Mary Townsend Professions Award. She has spent the last two decades in manufacturing and operations management supporting local and global initiatives at Miba Bearings USA. Prior to her tenure at Miba, she worked as a quality engineer at AK Steel and as a senior analyst for Harris Bank in Chicago. Bridwell is a partner with her mother and sister of Elk’s Eye Endeavors in Zanesville. 

A graduate of John Glenn High School, she earned a bachelor's degree in industrial management from Purdue University and her master's degree of public administration from Ohio State University. She also completed the Miba Leadership Academy. In addition, she earned a graduate certificate in Arts Management from Bemidji State University. 

Bridwell is active with Zanesville Business and Professional Women and has served as past state president for the Ohio Federation of Business and Professional Women’s Club.

She's president and on the board of trustees for the Ohio Arts and Crafts Foundation, is student art chair for the Salt Fork Arts and Crafts Festival and is a member of the Artist Colony of Zanesville. 

Bridwell has earned the American Society of Quality Certified Quality Auditor and Certified Quality Manager designations. In addition, she was inducted to Phi Kappa Phi and was named a Business Professional Women Ohio Individual Development Winner.

For more information on the banquet or tickets, visit muskingumwoa.org.