The Women’s Giving Circle is a group of local women who make a collective, powerful impact on Ripley County. Our mission is to empower and inspire women and children by strategically directing funds to local nonprofit organizations addressing critical needs. Through this model of citizen philanthropy, every member has a voice in the grantmaking process, ensuring that our resources are invested directly where they can create the most significant and lasting change for our community’s women and children.
Our Women's Giving Circle
In 2026, the Women’s Giving Circle will host several engaging events throughout the year! These gatherings offer opportunities to connect, learn about community needs, or simply have fun, all while supporting our collective mission.
Please note:
– The February, June, and September social events require a $30 ticket purchase for all attendees (including current WGC members and community guests).
– Access to the April Annual Luncheon is exclusively reserved for individuals with an active $100 Women’s Giving Circle membership or higher.
– The August Sun, Fun, & Philanthropy Social is a complimentary benefit for our 2026 Women’s Giving Circle members. Community guests interested in learning about the group are welcome to attend for a $30 ticket purchase.
Event registration links are coming soon!
2026 Event Descriptions
Registration Coming Soon!
Join the 2026 Women's Giving Circle
Membership: $100
Women’s Giving Circle Membership 1 ticket for the 2026Women’s Giving Circle Luncheon & Sun, Fun, & Philanthropy Social Help select grant recipients
75% of gift will be granted in 2025.
25% of gift will support future grants.
Junior Membership: $50 (under age 25) Women’s Giving Circle Membership 1 ticket for the 2026Women’s Giving Circle Luncheon & Sun, Fun, & Philanthropy Social Help select grant recipients
50% of gift will be granted in 2025.
50% of gift will support future grants.
2025 Women's Giving Circle Recap
Sun, Fun, & Philanthropy Social
We hosted an evening of connection and community as we celebrated the power of women coming together to create change.
Focused on women’s healthcare, we highlighted the Southeast Indiana Health Center. Since its founding in 2013, the Health Center has been a lifeline for medically uninsured and underinsured residents of Ripley County, offering free, compassionate, high-quality care. Their services include primary care, chronic disease management, mental health treatment, and essential health screenings, ensuring that everyone can access the care they need without the burden of cost.
A special $2,500 grant was awarded to Southeast Indiana Health Center – a local nonprofit supporting women and children, all thanks to the generosity of our members!
Powerful in Pink Luncheon
Spring 2025, we celebrated the strength and resilience of women with topics including healthcare, education, business, and childcare industries.
Local nonprofits received the Linda S. Phaneuf Women & Children Fund $2,000 Grants:
Englishton Park is a residential summer camp for at-risk children aged 8-12. This grant will allow Englishton Park to serve Ripley County students who are facing significant challenges in every facet of their lives. This summer camp experience serves as a breath of fresh air as children learn the skills they need to cope with their situation and be successful in life.
Safe Passage, Inc. provides support to those who experience, or are survivors of, domestic violence. This grant will assist Safe Passage’s transitional housing efforts providing women with a safe, comfortable space to reside as they work to create a violence free life for themselves and their children.
Southeastern Indiana YMCA has a mission to put Christian principles into practice through programs that build a health spirit, mind, and body for all. This grant will support the YMCA’s partnership with the local libraries to promote early literacy and foster the love of reading through Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library program. This grant will provide 64 children with an age-appropriate book each month for one year.
Summer Food for Kids of Batesville has a mission to combat food insecurity by providing nutritious food to children residing in the largest community in Ripley County. Grant dollars will assist their efforts to provide more than 170 children with proteins, canned goods, fresh fruit, vegetables, dairy products, and pantry staples.
View Sponsorship levels below!
2025 Sponsorship Levels
25% of Sponsorship gift will be granted in 2025 & 75% of Sponsorship gift will support future grants.
We greatly appreciate our community businesses, organizations, families, and individuals that sponsor the Women’s Giving Circle. Their funding assists in supporting resources for our Women’s Giving Circle members throughout the year. The funding also assists in our annual granting of the Linda S. Phaneuf Women & Children Fund.
$5,000 Title Sponsor – SOLD Eight Memberships in the Women’s Giving Circle One preferred corporate table for eight and table signage with name/logo Recognition prior to the introduction of keynote speakers Name/Logo displayed on stage Full-page, full-color ad in event program Recognition on Ripley County Community Foundation’s Social media, Marketing e-mail blasts, Website, and Annual Report
$4,000 Community Impact Sponsor ( 1 AVAILABLE )
Eight Memberships in the Women’s Giving Circle One preferred corporate table for eight at Luncheon Event and table signage with name/logo Recognition prior to the introduction of grant recipients Half-page, full-color ad in Luncheon Event program Recognition on Ripley County Community Foundation’s Social media, Marketing e-mail blasts, and Website
$3,000 Photo Sponsor ( 1 AVAILABLE ) 4 Memberships in the Women’s Giving Circle One table for 4 at Luncheon Event and table signage with name/logo Quarter-page, full-color ad in event program Recognition on Ripley County Community Foundation’s Social media, Marketing e-mail blasts, and Website
$2,000 Dessert Sponsor – SOLD 4 Memberships in the Women’s Giving Circle 4 tickets for Women’s Giving Circle Luncheon Quarter-page, full-color ad in event program Name/Logo on Dessert Table signage Recognition on Ripley County Community Foundation’s Social media, Marketing e-mail blasts, and Website
$1,000 Raffle Sponsor 2 Memberships in the Women’s Giving Circle 2 tickets for Women’s Giving Circle Luncheon Name on Raffle signage Recognition prior to Raffle drawing Sponsor listing in Luncheon Event program Recognition on social media and email blasts
$500 Loving Neighbor Sponsor 2 Memberships in the Women’s Giving Circle 2 tickets for Women’s Giving Circle Luncheon Sponsor listing in Luncheon Event program Name recognition on social media
$200 Supporter Sponsor 1 Membership in the Women’s Giving Circle 1 ticket for Women’s Giving Circle Luncheon Sponsor listing in Luncheon Event program Name recognition on social media
Meet Our 2025 Luncheon Panelists
Lea Ann King
Moderator
Lea Ann King is Vice President of Legal Affairs and General Counsel for Toyota Material Handling North America, Inc. Toyota Material Handling is a multi-billion dollar manufacturer and distributor of Toyota and Raymond branded industrial equipment. Prior to joining Toyota Material Handling, Lea Ann was Vice President and Associate General Counsel with HillRom Holdings, Inc. (now Baxter Healthcare, Inc.). In that role, she was the chief litigation and labor and employment counsel for all U.S. operations and provided support to the board of directors. She began her practice of law with the firm of Bose McKinney & Evans, LLP in Indianapolis. Lea Ann frequently speaks on the importance of diversity and inclusion as legal leaders and has successfully pioneered two professional women’s networks at her employers. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Centre College and went on to receive a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Louisville School of Law. She resides in Batesville, Indiana with her husband of 18 years and their two children.
Liz Leising
Women’s Healthcare
Liz Leising, MHA, BSN currently serves as the President & CEO of Margaret Mary Health in Batesville, IN. Liz has over 20 years of healthcare experience in a wide variety of settings including large academic health systems and rural community hospitals. She earned her Master’s degree in Health Administration from the Indiana University Fairbanks School of Public Health in Indianapolis, IN. Liz is an active member of ACHE and AONE.
Mary McCarty
Childcare Accessibility
Mary McCarty started at the Southeastern Indiana Regional Planning Commission (SIRPC) in 1998 and became Executive Director in January 2022. Dedicated to community and economic development, she has helped secure funding for infrastructure, housing, and quality of life initiatives in rural southeastern Indiana. Mary serves as Vice President of the Indiana Association of Regional Councils, is a board member of Genesis Pathways for Success, and serves on the board of Main Street Versailles.
Rebecca Rahschulte
Education Impacting Women
Dr. Rebecca Rahschulte serves as the statewide Vice President for Academic Affairs & Associate Provost at Ivy Tech Community College. In her role, Rebecca supports the development of the College’s academic programs and policy, statewide accreditation and assessment practices, educational technology and instructional design, as well as the College’s IvyOnline programming. Rebecca and her family live in Batesville, are active in St. Louis Parish, and love “all things education” by proudly supporting the work of the RCCF, BCSC, and Oldenburg Academy.
Kim Ryan
Female Business Leaders
Kim Ryan has served as a director and President and CEO of Hillenbrand since December 2021. Prior to becoming CEO, Ms. Ryan was the Company’s Executive Vice President and named incoming CEO for a transition that began in June 2021. Prior to that role, she served as SVP, Hillenbrand, and President of the Company’s Coperion business from 2015-2021, also overseeing Hillenbrand’s Rotex business during part of that period. She previously served as President of the Company’s historical Batesville reportable operating segment (death care) beginning in April 2011, at which time she was also named a Senior Vice President of Hillenbrand. Ms. Ryan began her career with Batesville in 1989. She held positions of increasing responsibility within Batesville and the Company’s former parent, Hill-Rom, Inc. in finance, strategy, operations, logistics, information technology and commercial division leadership. Ms. Ryan was elected to the Board of Directors of The Timken Company in January 2025 and serves as a member of that Board’s Compensation and Audit committees. She previously served on the Board of Directors of Kimball International, Inc. as a member of the Audit Committee from 2014 to 2023 and held one term as Board Chair during her tenure. Ms. Ryan serves on the Board of Directors of the National Manufacturers Association and is a member of the Dean’s Advisory Council at Iowa State University’s Ivy School of Business.
2025 Sponsors for the Women's Giving Circle
$5,000 Title Sponsor
Edward Jones
(Joni Dunn & Cindy Cottingham)
$4,000 Community Impact Sponsor
$3,000 Photo Sponsor
$2,000 Dessert Sponsor
Dr. Lee Ann Bauer Abplanalp
2025 Women's Giving Circle Members
Cindy Cottingham
Joni Dunn
Dr. Lee Ann Bauer Abplanalp
Agresta, Storms and O’Leary
Lauren Altum
Carla Austin
Michele Balser
Brooke Bartling
Claire Benner
Becky Berry
Carlan Bischoff
Debi Black
Kathleen Bohman
Kim Bohman
Libby Bohman
Brandi Merkel
Tara Britton
Sheri Brougher
Lexi Brown
Brenda Bruns
Amy Buckley
Dana Cassidy
Missy Cooper
Jane Craig
Judy Craig
Lynn Cruse
Sheri Cunningham
Jenny Darnold
Marie Dausch
Karen Davidson
Heather Davies
Loretta Day, Ivy Tech Community College
Sandra Dickey
Carolyn Dieckmann
Betsy Dudley (Bohman)
Nancy Durham
Robin Eckstein
Tricia Fasbinder
Anita Fledderman
Molly Freeland
Amy Fryman
Marisa Fullenkamp
Lennie Gabbard
Jenny Geers
Susan Gigrich
Donna Gillman
Suzy Gillman
Terri Glaser
Clara Goble
Megan Gray
Jenna Green
Amy Grills
Laura Grote
Patricia Grunkemeyer
Misty Gunter
Amy Gutzwiller
Jean Ann Gutzwiller
Carla Hacker
Susan Halcomb, Halcomb Home Center
Christine Harmeyer
Ashley Hartman
Melissa Herzner
Karen Horan
Jackie Huber
Annette Hunger
Cathy Hunt
Autumn Hurm
Sandi Jester
Lorie Jordan
Martha Junker
Julie Keene
Lea Ann King
Connie Krieger
Pauline Kuisel
Sarah Lamping
Tamara Lamping
Nancy Laymon
Kindred Lehfeldt
Liz Leising
Shirley Lemon
Lennie Gabbard
Kim Linkel
Jama Linkel-Cleghorn
Angela Linville
Loretta Day
Brandi Macyauski-Skaggs
Janet Maple
Margaret Marcy
Dr. Suzanne Martini
Audrey May
Jennifer McAdams, Affordable Tax Services
Mary McCarty
Monica McCory
Amber McGuire
Jennifer McIntosh
Melissa Menchhofer
Brandi Merkel, Ripley County Chamber of Commerce
Angie Messer
Anita Messerschmidt
Misty Meyer
Roxanne Meyer
Kim Meyers
Grace Miller
Lori Miller
Stacie Miller
Brenda Moorman
Sally Morris
Meg Muething
Ellen Mulford
Shannon Mullins
Julie Murphy
B.J. Myers
Tania Myers
Nancy Narwold, Citizens Aquatic Center
Taneha Negangard
Cheryll Obendorf
Debra Obermeyer
Megan Obermeyer
Nancy Ollier
Lisa Orndorff
Clarice Patterson
Lin Phaneuf
Amy Phillips
Anita Pitts
Donna Pitts
Kim Porter
Amy Pretzer
Jan Prickel
Trisha Prickel
Dr. Rebecca Rahschulte
Jean Ralston, RBSK Partners PC
Diane Raver
Devan Reuss
Shannon Rickett
Andi Roberts
Casey Robinson
Jolene Rockwood
Ethel Rodriguez
Bev Roell
Susie Rowland, Beta Sigma Phi Theta Nu
Kim Ryan
Shayla Sattler
Jamie Schantz
Jennifer Schebler
Bertie Schmidt, Schmidt Bakery
Jenny Schneider
Rita Seig
Rebecca Shane
Sherry Shaw
Sue Siefert
Laura Smart
Elsa Soderberg
Rose Spaeth
Carla Stenger
Liz Stenger
Diana Storms
Jenna Strassell
Amy Streator
Christy Sutton
Sarah Teichman
The Office Shop
Ashlee Theising
Mari Thielking
Brandy Todd
Patty Toney
Terri Trowbridge
Melissa Tucker
Lisa Tuveson
Tiffany Vanderpool
Jolene Volk
Pam Vonderhaar
Andrea Wade
Bobbi Wade
Katie Wagner
Linda Wagner
Molly Wagner
Megan Walke
Deborah Wanstrath
Candy Washburn
Holly Wehr
Olivia Welch
Whitewater Publications
Cathy Wildt
Amy Wonnell
Jocelyn Xenophontos
Deanna Young
Rheadawn Young
