5-16-2025 2:20pm

Gwen McIntire Celebrates Her Retirement from WCBDD

LEBANON, OH --Gwen McIntire has retired from the Warren County Board of Developmental Disabilities (WCBDD) after working as a community employment specialist and job coach for 28 years.

McIntire has become an iconic figure in the Community Connections division, inspiring both job coaches and individuals served by WCBDD to strive for excellence. She said individuals she worked with did not always appreciate her in the moment, but later in life they would often thank her for the independence they gained from her firm coaching.

In 2013, McIntire welcomed her daughter Jill Rasnic to the Community Connections division. Rasnic said she treasures the time she spent with her mom at WCBDD, stating that most people do not get to spend the same amount of time with their parents.

“I feel she is kind of a legend in this agency, and it was an honor to be trained by her in this field, and I truly feel like I was trained by the best,” Rasnic said. “I could not have asked for a better person to mold and shape me as a human being and in my career, and I hope to always make her proud.”

Rasnic laughed that working with her mom wasn’t free from challenges, stating, “She is pretty sassy, you know!”

McIntire is affectionately known around the office for her tough love mentality. Jenna Sanders, a WCBDD job coach, who worked with McIntire for 11 years, said, “Gwen often frightened me with her demands of scheduling, yet, over the years, I grew to love her and truly cherish the knowledge she passed on to me, along with her friendship.”

Job Coach Peggy Davy said after working with McIntire for 13 years, she’s like her second mother.

“When I first started as a coach, it was just me and Gwen. We spent every single day together, and I learned so much from her,” Davy said. “Most of the time with Gwen was wonderful. Everything I know is because of her. We became very, very close, quickly, because of the time we spent together. She is a great friend, teacher, and mentor.”

On April 24, 2025, WCBDD put together a party to celebrate McIntire’s contributions to WCBDD. Around the office, McIntire is known as “The Queen,” which was the basis of the theme for her party. Upon walking in, tables were full of various snacks, cupcakes, and napkins, which stated... “The Queen is Retiring.”

Co-workers, friends, and family gathered to share memories and laughs. McIntire was overwhelmed from all the love and support in the room and was left with more gifts than she could carry.

Superintendent Megan Manuel gifted her a plaque to honor her time at WCBDD.

“Gwen McIntire has been an important fixture at WCBDD for almost three decades. She has coached many students, and she has been influential in their successes and accomplishments. She has been a leader among her peers, and we have all been fortunate to learn from her,” Manuel said. “She will be greatly missed at WCBDD.”

WCBDD also celebrated McIntire’s service at the annual WCBDD In-Service Event on October 23, 2024. Manuel awarded McIntire with the Dave Farmer Award for her unwavering commitment to helping students with developmental disabilities thrive at their jobs. Manuel said she has likely earned WCBDD more future levy votes than anyone else through her advocacy efforts and has encouraged many businesses to hire people with developmental disabilities.

McIntire said she is very thankful for all the county has done for her over the years and is most upset about having to say goodbye. In her retirement, McIntire plans to focus on her health and spend time with family. McIntire left us with a parting thought: “Warren County does it best.”

For more information, contact Community Relations Coordinator Megan Becker at megan.becker@warrencountydd.org or (859) 653-7445 or Community Relations Coordinator Claire Bishop at claire.bishop@warrencountydd.org or (513) 335-1026.