Greater Cincinnati Women Veteran Award Recipients
Lifetime Achievement
Anna Fields: Anna has lived through the elections of 16 presidents, Jim Crowe and both world wars. She was born before suffrage for both African Americans and women. Anna was a member of the 31 WAC Hospital Company serving as a surgical technician in World War II. She worked in the amputation ward and also with men who had been blinded by explosions. Now, nearly 67 years after she was honorably discharged she continues to do whatever she can to help disabled Veterans. She was recently recognized by People Working Cooperatively and is truly an American hero.
Alice Ruth Schuler is a World War II Veteran in the Army Women’s Army Corps – also known as WAC. During her time in the service she was stationed in Ton Ton, Massachusetts where her primary job was to issue soldiers’ shoes when they were going overseas. After the war, she married, had 3 children and 4 grandchildren, and now has one great grandchild. She lives in Aurora Indiana and is currently engaged in a Kitchen Band with the Aurora United Methodist Church. The Band goes to about 7 nursing homes every two weeks entertaining with their instruments which include various kitchen utensils.
Betty Gooten joined the Navy in 1944 and went through boot camp at Hunter College in Bronx, N.Y. and was stationed at the U.S. Naval Hospital in Farragut Naval Training Station in Idaho. She worked in the medical dispensary in Bremerton Wash. and achieved the rank of pharmacist mate second class. After service, Betty was the fifth female bank officer for a major banking institution in Cincinnati and retired after 30 years. She has been recognized for her 22 years of volunteer service at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and was nominated for the Martin Luther King Award. To quote her nominator, “At the age of 89, Betty continues to exhibit great pride in her service during WWII, never missing an opportunity to share stories and pictures and extol the values learned during her years of serving her country.
Dorothy Kist is a World War II Veteran who served in the Navy as a radio operator. Her training included making a radio out of a stone, a paper clip and a rubber band. Her singing career included being chosen as one of 40 for a Navy choral group singing in Times Square and selling war bonds. Following her service Dorothy returned to University of Cincinnati and the College Conservatory of Music and spent 16 years as a corporate tax auditor for Ohio Department of Transportation. She started a new AMVETS Post in West Harrison and was elected Commander. Today, Dorothy is a volunteer for the Cincinnati Zoo and sings in a senior choir in her hometown of Harrison, Ohio. She says, “God has blessed her with a long life, and a wonderfully large family with seven Marines and one sailor and she’s enjoyed every bit of it.”
Rosa Moore – When Rosa moved from Alabama to Chicago in 1942, she saw an advertisement with women in military uniforms encouraging other women to join to get money for college. She served in the Women’s Army Corp (W.A.C.) from 1944-1945. After leaving the military she returned to Alabama and attended Tuskegee Institute for three years until her G.I. bill ran out. She continued to travel and completed her bachelor of science in education from the University of Cincinnati. She was nominated for the Marian Joseph Ferrell Award for Outstanding Catholic Teachers in 1986. She was also nominated for The YWCA Career Woman of the Year in 1986. She is a widow, mother of 3, a grandmother of 7, and a great-grandmother of 7, great-great grandmother of 1. She enjoys being active in her church, quilting, reading, mentoring, travelling and at 91years old, she is still driving.
Community Service
Louise Salassi Hughes – Louise received her Bachelor’s degree from Louisiana State University and her master’s in business administration from the Florida Institute of Technology. She served as a Captain on active duty in the Army from 1977 to 1982 and then served as a Major in the Army Reserves with the 168th Support Group in Louisville, KY until August 1991. Louise served in numerous leadership roles at Procter & Gamble from 1982 to 2011 and retired as the Director, Senior Business Leader for community engagement. She holds leadership roles in many community and professional organizations including, Cincinnati USA Convention & Visitor’s Bureau, Cincinnati USA Regional Tourism Network, World Choir Games, Leadership Cincinnati Alumni and the Association of Ohio Commodores and the co-founder of the new Welcomers Community Volunteer Network. She was honored as one of this year’s Cincinnati Enquirer Women of the Year.
Jacqueline Larrison - Jacqueline is a vice president at Fifth Third Bank. She has served in the U.S. Air Force since 1986 and was on active duty for 7 years serving in Japan and California. Following her active duty, she went into the Reserves at Wright Patterson Air Force Base. Jackie progressed through the ranks quickly and is now a Chief Master Sergeant, and only 1 percent of people in the Air Force make it to that rank. Jacqueline has 3 meritorious service ribbons and volunteers with Ronald McDonald House and United Way. She is a leader in 5/3’s efforts to hire back our American heroes and led the bank’s involvement with the Army’s 238th Birthday Celebration held last June in Washington Park.
Administrative Management
Wanda McDuffy began her military service in 1986 as a Flight Operations Dispatcher. She retired as an Army Sergeant after 20 years. Wanda has a degree in Criminal Justice from Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA. Currently, she holds the position of Program Analyst/Performance Measures Coordinator at the VA where she is responsible for organizing the complex day-to-day administrative operations of the Performance Measure Clinics. Wanda has worked at the VA since 2007 and was promoted to her current role in 2009.
Stephanie Zazycki. After graduating from Xavier University, Stephanie served in the Army at Fort Bragg and Fort Benning from 1996 to 2003. Her last role was that of Corps Ammunition Operations Officer. Stephanie began her employment at the VA in 2005 and has steadily assumed increasing administrative managerial experience progressing from secretary to program support assistant to clinical trials manager in the research office. Nominated by her entire department, who have collectively stated, “Stephanie is a role model and mentor for new staff; her work ethic and efficiency are superlative and, even in the face of personal challenges, she maintains and upbeat and positive approach toward all she does and enhances our lives every day.”
Veterans Advocacy
Alison Johnson is the family services coordinator for Military Sexual Trauma. This year she led the implementation of the first clothesline event for Military Sexual Trauma Week. Alison is a Marine Corps Veteran. During her active duty she won the Navy Achievement Medal for the First Marine Corps division. She is an 8-time recipient of Marine of the Month award. Alison has a master’s of social work from the University of Cincinnati and specializes in mental health. Her nominator said, “Alison represents the VA’s core values of integrity, commitment, advocacy, respect and excellence.”
Education
Dr. Donna Hausermann is an in-patient clinical pharmacist at the Cincinnati VA. She joined the army in 1986, and because she could drive a stick shift, she was drafted to be the driver of a 5-ton supply truck. Donna received advanced training as a medic and pharmacy tech in Ft. Houston TX and left the service in 1994. She started her VA career as a pharmacy technician in 1990 and in 2007 she returned to school to study full time for her Pharm. D. while working 20 hours a week at the VA. While in school she proposed and implemented a Pharmacy Intern Program.
Susan Rogers was in the U.S. Naval Reserves and served as a chaplain assistant. Her role was to work with staff of all faiths and establish worship services that would meet the needs of all families. She is a clinical consultant and nurse educator for the VA where she delivers educational programs for nurses and patients. Susan volunteers at the Cincinnati Woodlawn Community and is a tutor, mentor and dinner buddy in the Whiz Kids program at Cincinnati Crossroads Church. She volunteers as a health educator at the Annual Tuskegee Airman Fly-in event in Tuskegee Alabama.
Healthcare
Shirley Ann May served her country for 30 years in the U.S. Army and still serves today. After enlisting during her senior year of high school she was a military police woman USCIC. In 1991 she was deployed to Saudi Arabia as a member of a Protective Services detail providing personal protection to high ranking officials in a hostile environment. In 1999, Shirley relocated to Cincinnati where she changed careers and became a registered nurse. She has been the Acting Women’s Veterans Program Manager since 2012. The program has grown to provide high quality maternity care and has reached out to rural women veterans in the Cincinnati area. The number of enrolled women in the clinic has increased over 16 percent in the last year.
Active Duty
Colonel Sherrie Lakes enlisted in the Army 1974 to have her college paid and started out as a Private First Class. Her active and reserve service span 33 years and she finished her army career as a Colonel. She graduated as a nurse in 1982 and, over the years, her expertise as a nurse has been sought after for a variety of military operations. She was frequently called on to mobilize at the last minute, participated in the required training for each assignment, dealt with numerous rearranged travel plans, and through it all she maintained her focus and gained the respect of her peers. In 2007, Sherrie spent one year in Iraq in charge of one of the busiest operating room in Tikrit, Iraq. She was promoted to Colonel on August 25, 2011 and officially ended her military career on August 31 of this year.
Civic Leadership
Patricia Johnson a Vietnam Era Veteran, having served in the U.S. Army from 1974 to 1977. Upon her honorable discharge from the Army, she was awarded the Good Conduct Medal as well as the Army Commendation Medal. Following her service, she has been active in a variety of community service and Veterans Advocacy efforts. Patricia is a life member of the American Legion, and served for two years as Commander of the Greater Cincinnati Women's American Legion Post 644 and as both 1st and 2nd Vice Commander of the Hamilton County Chapter of the American Legion. She is a member of the NAACP and serves on Senator Sherrod Brown's Service Academy Selection Committee. With all these activities, she found the time to write "Celebrating Women of Honor & Distinction," and recently published her second book, "Ebony Diamond" which chronicles her life through the military, two inter-racial marriages and as the mother of two incredibly beautiful bi-racial sons.
Professional Leadership
Janel Schlaudecker is a Licensed Independent Social Worker who is a major in the U.S. Army Reserves and is in her 19th year of military service. She works at the Clermont Community Based Outpatient Clinic and acts as the liaison between Primary Care and the mental health department. Janel recently returned from a year in Afghanistan where she provided mental health services to those on the front line. During her deployment she was recognized as a military leader for her role during a helicopter crash and was awarded the Bronze Star with a V for Valor. She freely shares her Afghanistan experiences with Veterans. Additionally sharing the experiences with the mental health staff has enabled them to be more in tune with the Veterans they serve. Her nominator said, “Janel epitomizes the very best in our military service and it is an honor to work with her.”
Honorary Woman Veteran of the Year
Emma Bunag-Boehm is the primary care provider in the Operation Enduring Freedom/Iraqi Freedom/New Dawn Clinic at the Cincinnati VA. She began her career in 1980 when she joined the Army in the Philippines and achieved the rank of 1st Lieutenant. She is a Nurse Practitioner and has been with the Cincinnati VA since 2005 providing care to over 6500 returning service members. Emma has been featured in Cincinnati Magazine and the Cincinnati Enquirer and interviewed by members of Congress about the challenges faced by returning service members. Her tireless energy and enthusiasm to help this population are legendary. Emma’s office is lined with pictures of her patients, her patients’ families and their children. She is the winner of the Florence Nightingale Award, Federal Service Award and the “firefighter of the year award” which is given to the manager who manages multiple issues at one time. Emma is an outstanding clinician and caring professional, but it her heart and passion for serving Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans that makes her a true hero.
Future Veteran (Scholarship Award)
Cadet Colonel Alissa Bailey is a senior and member of Holmes High School ROTC. Alissa lives in Covington and is the team captain of the Holmes High School Swim team where she is a senior. In addition to her active schedule at school, she raises funds her teams, community and national causes. She volunteers with the Salvation Army at Christmas and has helped at Homeward Bound in Covington. Alissa is the Commanding Officer for the Holmes High School MCJROTC. She is the team captain of the competitive Drill Team as well as a member of the JROTC Rifle team having earned a Sharp Shooters rating. Alissa has taken advantage of the early enlistment program with the US Army. She is “Airborne Qualified,” has accepted assignment as a Human Resources specialist, and intends to make the Army a career.
