It’s WeTHRIVE! champions week: Are you ready to be inspired?

The WeTHRIVE!℠ Champion Award honors those who are dedicated to creating a culture of health, safety, and vitality in Hamilton County. Starting tomorrow, we’ll introduce you to the inspiring people who received the 2026 WeTHRIVE! Champion Award!

Fourteen individuals or groups were nominated by their peers for the award. An independent committee at Hamilton County Public Health reviewed all nominations. Five individuals or groups were chosen for their work involving community, early care and education, or school health and safety efforts.

The nominees and winners were honored at the WeTHRIVE! Celebration Event in May.

The 2026 WeTHRIVE! champions are:

Sable Bender smiles and holds the champion award, standing in front of a large WeTHRIVE! banner.

Sable Bender
Cheviot WeTHRIVE! team

Tina Cole
Three Rivers Elementary School

Tina Cole smiles and holds the champion award as she poses in front of a large WeTHRIVE! banner.
Sheila Dornbusch, Howard Dettmer, and Dan Snelling smile as they sit around a table in the elmwood place village hall.

Sheila Dornbusch, Howard Dettmer & Dan Snelling
Elmwood Place WeTHRIVE! team

Pam Jackson
Addyston WeTHRIVE! team

Pam Jackson holds the champion award and stands in front of a large WeTHRIVE! banner.
Members of the Woodlawn WeTHRIVE! team pose for a picture, with six people standing behind one person kneeling with a young child. They are all smiling.

Woodlawn WeTHRIVE! team

The other 2026 nominees are:

Lindsay Johnson and Tina Cole pose for a photo at the WeTHRIVE! celebration event.

Lindsay Johnson (left)
Three Rivers Schools

Jermaine Hill is wearing a we thrive visor as he stands next to a smiling Ron Johnson.

Jermaine Hill (left) & Ron Wilson
Forest Park WeTHRIVE! team

Ryna Rajagopal smiling at the WeTHRIVE! celebration event.

Ryna Rajagopal
Total Quality Childcare

Mary Angeline smiles at the WeTHRIVE! celebration event.

Mary Angeline
Cleves WeTHRIVE! team

Six members of the Cleves team, all women, sit and stand around a table, smiling, at the we thrive celebration event.

Cleves WeTHRIVE! team

Pat Lalesnel and Gwen Chesser pose at the WeTHRIVE! celebration event.

Pat Lalesnel (left) & Gwen Chesser
Golf Manor WeTHRIVE! team

Gwen Chesser
Golf Manor WeTHRIVE! team

Howard Dettmer holds a we thrive sign and smiles as he stands in front of a large we thrive banner.

Howard Dettmer
Elmwood Place WeTHRIVE! team

LaVerne Mitchell smiles standing in front of a large WeTHRIVE! banner.

LaVerne Mitchell
Lincoln Heights WeTHRIVE! team


Check back daily all week long to read about the award winners and what they’re doing to make Hamilton County a better place to live, work, and play. We know you’ll be inspired!

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