McBurney wins Joyce M. Davis Distinguished Member award
Charisse Kellums, Berea BPW member and 2018 BPW OH Distinguished Member Chair presented an engraved vase of flowers to the 2018 BPW OH Joyce M. Davis Distinguished Member winner Emily McBurney, Coshocton BPW member. Contributed | Beacon
COSHOCTON – Emily McBurney, Coshocton Business and Professional Women (BPW) member was surprised by BPW Ohio Distinguished Member Chair Charisse Kellums at the 98th Annual BPW Ohio State Conference in Berlin, on Saturday, May 19 as the 2018 Joyce M. Davis Distinguished Member award winner.
McBurney joined Coshocton BPW Jan. 22 2008. She was the Coshocton BPW and BPW Region 3 Young Careerist (YC) winner and competed at the 2008 State YC Competition. Because she believed in the YC program so much she became the local YC Chair. She also recruited 2014 BPW Ohio YC Winner, Breanne Smith.
McBurney became vice president for two years (2010-2012), and then moved up to president for two years (2012-2014). She was honored as the 2014 Coshocton BPW Woman of the Year (WOY) and was a 2014-2015 BPW Ohio Joyce M. Davis Distinguished Member award nominee. She was 2014-2015 BPW Region 3 Vice President, is currently serving as the BPW Region 3 President (2017-2018), and will be installed for a second term next month. She served as the 2015-2016 WOY Chair, and continues to serve on the WOY Committee. Meet the candidates night is co-sponsored with the Ohio Farm Bureau and MCd by the WTNS AM/FM radio News Director Ken Smailes. It is recorded and replayed on the radio the next morning there by making the community knowledgeable about the candidates. As the meet the candidates’ chair (2015-2018) she contacts both political parties to see if the candidate or a spokesperson can attend. She also insures a spokesperson is available for issues on the ballot. She recently attended the Equal Pay Day “Unhappy Hour” on April 10 to help compose a letter to send to legislators to encourage passage of bills to fully close the wage gap. She has served on the cake auction committee since 2013, but stepped up as the chair in 2015. The Coshocton BPW signature fundraiser raises funds for scholarships for women returning to education (usually two but sometimes three $1,000 scholarships depending on the success of the fundraiser); Buckeye Girls State ($300) and Dollars for Scholars ($500). She has also served on the marketing committee (2015-2017), and was the 2015-2018 Coshocton BPW Finance Chair. Last year she served as the BPW Ohio 2016-2017 Foundation Chair.
McBurney has been a runner for years. It was her interest in Relay for Life that got her started doing 5K’s and marathons. It was her family’s situation that got her committed to Relay for Life. She jumped into that with the same enthusiasm as she did with BPW when both her parents got cancer (both cancer survivors) and Relay for Life became an obsession. She served as the Relay for Life Chair and co-chair for five plus years.
She always excelled in high school whether it was with her studies, sports, or work. McBurney was chosen for homecoming queen at Ridgewood High School, which showed how all the other students felt about her. She continued her education at Muskingum College where she majored in both political science and history. While at Muskingum College she was a member of the Chi Alpha Nu Sorority and was a Muskie Cheerleader for four years. Two years later she began her career choice with the Coshocton County Prosecutor’s Office as a victim’s advocate where she guided victims through the court system so they don’t feel alone and over whelmed. In this position she co-chaired the Crime Victims’ Rights Week Luncheon each April with First Step Family Violence where special recognition was given to community members for outstanding service on behalf of crime victims. After 12 years in the victim’s rights field she changed positions in May 2017 and is currently legal administrative assistant – adult felony division.
She is married to Robbie McBurney, stepmom to Grace and mother to Greyson. She resides in Nashport.
For more information on BPW, contact Membership Chair Samantha Shell at 740-610-4989 or at coshoctonbpw@gmail.com. Membership is open to men and women, employed and unemployed who support the legislative platform. BPW’s mission is to achieve equity for all women in the workplace through advocacy, education and information.
Category: Clubs & Organizations
