Briefs: Fundraiser, conference center, IC graduation, more

Kitchen Theatre raises $25,000 at fourth Lip Sink Fundraiser

On April 30, Kitchen Theatre Company (KTC) presented its fourth annual Lip Sink Spring Fundraiser, marking the first in-person fundraiser for the theater since the onset of the pandemic.

Celebrating both the company’s 30th anniversary season and the near-completion of Rebecca Bradshaw and Cary Bland Simpson’s first season as producing artistic director and managing director respectively, the event brought the community together in support of the theater. The event was hosted by longtime Kitchen Theatre actor and current board member Karl Gregory.

The fundraising celebration featured an open bar, full catering and a dance party (DJ ha-MEEN). Teams of performers chose songs to lip sync and dance to and fundraised on behalf of the theater, culminating in an incredible show, delighting the audience of KTC supporters.

A total of 10 groups performed: Team Kitchen Werq-ers (Vicki Taylor Brous and Kelly Chase), Team Jolly Rancher (Eric Brooks), Team Thirty-Something (Anya Gibian), Team Hangar (Shirley Serotsky, R.J. Lavine and Carley Robinson from Ithaca’s own Hangar Theatre), Team Stacy’s Moms (Erica Steinhagen and Darcy Rose), Team Limelight (Shelley Blackler and a surprise appearance by Karl Gregory), Team Flight’s Professional A** Bishes (Harmony Malone and Sharon Costianes from Ithaca’s Flight Performing Arts), Team Silli Minilli (Anna Kelles and Joey Steinhagen) and Team HandWitches (Jen Savran Kelly, Pamela Tan and Scott Hitz).

Additionally, KTC is thrilled to announce its first ever community-centric fundraising efforts, an ongoing initiative that invites local organizations to participate in KTC’s fundraising events while simultaneously receiving a 50% split of the final amount raised on their behalf.

Team Hangar and Team Flight’s Professional A** Bishes participated as the inaugural partnership teams for this event, respectively raising $846.50 and $500 to support their own programming.

“The pandemic hit the arts at our core, eliminating our ability to join together for communal experiences,” said Managing Director Cary Bland Simpson. “Because we will all be recovering for years to come, KTC is thrilled to launch our community-centric giving initiative to support both our ongoing work while partnering with the incredible organizations around us. By donating in this way, our community is able to uplift multiple companies at once as we move beyond competition and into collaboration.” Teams competed to win one of two prizes: Fundraising All-Star (awarded to the team that raised the most funds) and Fan Favorite prize (determined by audience votes). Team Kitchen Werq-ers won the Fundraising All-Star award; its four members raised over $2,769 for KTC. Team Stacy’s Moms was awarded first place in the Fan Favorite competition.

Vicki Taylor Brous was the top individual fundraiser for this event, raising over $1,700.

Sponsoring the event were Tompkins Trust Company, OurBus, WRFI and The Ithaca Voice, along with food and beverage sponsors Liquid State Brewing Company, Sheldrake Point Winery, Jim Bouderau and Emoticakes.

All told, the event raised over $25,000 for the work of KTC. The Kitchen gives a big thank-you to the businesses and individuals who made it possible with over 300 gifts in total!

In this photo: KTC’s team performs on stage during the event, including staff members (from left to right) Helen Kuhar, stage and production management fellow; Rebecca Bradshaw, producing artistic director; Hannah Avery, marketing and graphic design fellow; Cary Bland Simpson, managing director; Tyler Struble, associate producer; and Marissa Accordino, marketing manager.

 

Executive director hired for Downtown Ithaca Local Development Corporation

The development corporation responsible for the Downtown Ithaca Conference Center has its first leader, Suzanne Smith Jablonski (pictured).

Smith Jablonski, the former executive director of the Tompkins County Public Library Foundation for 19 years, began her new position as executive director of the Downtown Ithaca Local Development Corporation (LDC) on May 2.

The LDC will own and be responsible for the construction and operation of the Downtown Ithaca Conference Center. The LDC bears responsibility for the financial plan for the capital project and annual operations, as well as liaising with all project partners and funders.

Smith Jablonski will lead the work of the LDC, including implementing the annual work plan, budget, board responsibilities and community outreach needs of the organization.

“Suzanne demonstrated through the interview process she has the experience, leadership qualities and community connections we needed in our first executive director,” said LDC President Jennifer Tavares. “We are excited to have Suzanne on board to lead and support our important work and collaborate with many partners to stimulate economic development for the greater Ithaca area.”

A Tompkins County resident for 20 years, after a decade away following her graduation from Ithaca College, Smith Jablonski is ready for her new role in the community.

“So many of the factors that attracted my husband and me here, like the food scene, the arts, really rich educational and recreational experiences for our family, are what make our community special,” she said. “But they need to be supported and nourished. The conference center will bring those opportunities. So, I see this role as executive director as a chance to help ensure its goals are realized.”

For more information about the Downtown Ithaca Local Development Corporation, visit downtownithaca.com/businessdevelopment/downtown-ithaca-local-development-corporation, and for more information about the Downtown Ithaca Conference Center, visit downtownithaca.com/conferencecenter.

 

Bonnie and David Prunty to be honored at 2022 IC Commencement

Two longtime campus leaders are being honored with the Ithaca College Presidential Medal. Bonnie Prunty (left), dean of students, and David Prunty, executive director of auxiliary services, will be recognized at the 2022 Commencement ceremonies May 22.

Established in 2019, the Presidential Medal was created as a way to honor a member or members of the Ithaca College (IC) family or valued partners of the institution whose lives embody the values of IC and demonstrate a strong sense of service and sustainability to the IC community and our world.

David joined IC in 1987 as a residence coordinator after earning his master’s degree in higher education administration from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He subsequently served in a variety of leadership roles in the Office of Residential Life before being named director of conference and event services.

Since 2015, he has served as executive director of auxiliary services, responsible for supervising offices including the Campus Center, Conference and Event Services, ID Operations, the Campus Store, General Services (Print Production, Mail Services and the Warehouse) and Dining Services.

David has been responsible for multiple campus-wide initiatives, including serving on the leadership teams for Convocation, Commencement, the Ithaca College 125th Anniversary Celebration and many other large events. Since 2009, he has taught in the Roy H. Park School of Communications as a lecturer in the live event design and management minor.

Bonnie came to IC in 1988 after she also earned her master’s degree, in student personnel services, from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Starting as a residence director, she served in a series of increasingly responsible positions in the Office of Residential Life over the next three decades, including as director of residential life and judicial affairs beginning in 2001.

In June of 2018, Bonnie was named dean of students, overseeing the Offices of Residential Life, Student Conduct and Community Standards, Case Management, and New Student and Transition Programs along with the Center for Counseling, Health and Wellness.

The college recently announced that, as of June 27, Bonnie will be assuming the position of vice president for student affairs and campus life through 2024. A sampling of her institutional service includes the IC 20/20 Advisory Committee, Enterprise Risk Management Committee, Residential Models Task Force and First-Year Experience Coordinating Committee.

For more information on the graduation ceremonies, visit Ithaca.edu/commencement.

 

Park Center hosts 14th annual Izzy Award ceremony virtually

On April 26, the Park Center for Independent Media (PCIM), part of Ithaca College, hosted the 14th annual Izzy Award ceremony. This year’s award, named after legendary dissident journalist I.F. Stone, honored five news organizations and journalists that represent outstanding achievement in independent media from 2021.

PCIM Director Raza Rumi’s opening remarks outlined several trends degrading the quality of today’s media ecosystem, including conglomeration, the demise of local journalism, constraints on investigations, the rise of tech giants and the absence of marginalized voices in media narratives.

“For all these reasons, it is urgent to continue the legacy of Izzy Stone and honor those who embark on truth telling in these difficult times,” Rumi said.
Izzy Award judge and editor-at-large for 100Reporters Linda Jue introduced the evening’s first recipient: Senior Editor Dean Starkman of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ). ICIJ’s 2021 investigation, the Pandora Papers, amounted to the largest-ever journalism partnership in history. It revealed the secretive system that allows the world’s rich to hide money offshore and dodge taxes. Starkman said the investigation “is the culmination of a decade’s worth of work.”

Jeff Cohen, founding director of PCIM, introduced reporter Greg B. Smith of THE CITY. Smith’s investigations uncovered the negligence of the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), which has lead to a long history of dangerous living conditions, disrepair and lead poisoning.

Rumi introduced Kelly Bauer, the breaking news editor for Block Club Chicago, a nonprofit digital news publication covering the city’s neighborhoods. Bauer, in collaboration with David Jackson, broke numerous stories on corruption at Loretto Hospital, a safety-net medical center serving mostly Black and Latino residents on Chicago’s West Side.

Linda Jue welcomed David Jackson, senior investigative reporter at Better Government Association. In addition to investigating Loretto Hospital with Kelly Bauer and Block Club Chicago, Jackson published the BGA series “Milking Medicaid,” which laid bare the malfeasant conflicts of interest at the top of Illinois’ Medicaid program.

Patricia Rodriguez, associate professor and chair of the Department of Politics at Ithaca College, introduced the evening’s final winner, Jenni Monet. With her newsletter, “Indigenously: Decolonizing Your Newsfeed,” Monet produces reader-funded reporting each week concerning Indigenous affairs, filling in gaps left by public education and media ecosystems.

“Each edition is centered around a certain theme that speaks to what is happening in the Indigenous world,” she said.

To watch the full ceremony, visit tinyurl.com/y5kbq84k.

 

Tompkins Financial appoints Alyssa Fontaine chief risk officer

Tompkins Financial recently announced the appointment of Alyssa Fontaine as chief risk officer, adding to her current role as executive vice president and general counsel. In her expanded role, Fontaine will continue to oversee the company’s legal and corporate governance functions while also leading the corporate risk management team.

These responsibilities include corporate compliance, audit, information security, bank secrecy act/anti-money laundering compliance, third-party risk management, corporate security and enterprise risk management.

Fontaine began her career at Tompkins in 2016. Prior to joining Tompkins, she was a partner with Harris Beach PLLC, where she focused on bank regulatory compliance and securities matters and worked closely with Tompkins as a corporate law partner.

Fontaine is a graduate of Cornell University Law School and Brown University. She received the “40 under Forty” award from the Central New York Business Journal and was named a Super Lawyers Rising Star. She is a member of the boards of directors of the Ithaca Community Childcare Center (IC3) and the Ithaca Little Red Lacrosse program. She also volunteers with the Cayuga Heights Elementary School PTA as an event leader.

“Alyssa is a proven leader, elevating our corporate governance and legal departments to great success during her tenure,” said Steve Romaine, Tompkins Financial president and CEO. “I am pleased that Alyssa will expand her leadership and bring her expertise to our corporate risk management team as our industry continues to navigate an ever-evolving landscape.”

 

Legislature chair shares statement on Reimagining Public Safety

At the Tompkins County Legislature’s May 3 meeting, Chair Shawna Black shared a statement regarding Reimagining Public Safety:

“Tompkins County passed a meaningful set of plans following a mandate, not just from the previous governor, but from having watched so many examples of injustice across the U.S. including the murder of George Floyd. This also included listening to the voices of the most vulnerable in our community who have been adversely impacted.

“I believe what we’ve seen from the collaborative so far is a good-faith effort to improve policing and outcomes for community members, to increase accountability and ultimately to respect the input from the community members who have experienced policing and the criminal justice system differently from the majority white population.

“We’re just scratching the surface on the dozen-plus collaborative plans and several county-specific plans. We are committed to being thorough, inclusive and transparent on how those plans are developed and implemented. We will have an advisory board for the Community Justice Center that will aid in these efforts.

“I want to thank our county departments for their leadership on the plans currently being implemented. Sheriff Osborne and Undersheriff Olin have been hard at work developing a pilot program to offer unarmed responses to certain calls, and our Mental Health Department has been a leader in the discussions on studying alternative responses and planning for better and more immediate delivery of human services.

“Our Department of Emergency Response has been excellent and trustworthy partners on each plan as they’ve been called to provide advice and expertise. There is great and important work being done, work that takes time. I’m grateful for the monthly updates that we get from the CJC, and I invite legislators to listen and ask questions so that we stay on the same page moving forward.

“There have been questions swirling regarding the city’s process and the report recommending a department of community safety. I understand that there are processes in place such as the county’s Ethics Advisory Board, to review the situation, but at this time I do not think it is wise to speculate, make public accusations, or wade into the debate. Our county attorney, who advises us, and the Ethics Advisory Board is assessing jurisdiction and the nature of any questions or complaints brought forth.

“We are committed to this process. Our county will stay the course. We devote significant resources to criminal justice and public safety in our community, and I anticipate that the Legislature will continue to be asked for resources as these plans are implemented. I want to caution us about denying support to the wider work of reimagining because we are uncertain of the outcomes of one plan.

“The public is listening and our actions to improve the public safety, especially for marginalized communities, is more critical now than ever before. I want to encourage all of us to continue remember and reinforce why we are here. There is still important work to be done, and I look forward to continuing that work.”