Briefs: New Communiqué VP, Laura Lewis at TCAT, Hero of the Month

Communiqué promotes Maddie Ulrich to vice president

Communiqué Design & Marketing, a marketing agency based in Ithaca, has promoted Maddie Ulrich to vice president. In her new role, Ulrich will assist with business development, strategic public relations initiatives and staff management. Communiqué’s president and founder, Laurie Linn, shared, “This new role is well-earned. I have known Maddie for many years and have watched her grow into her professional and leadership capabilities and am confident she will help lead Communiqué strategically into the future.” Ulrich joined Communiqué in the summer of 2017 as a public relations intern after graduating from SUNY Oswego with a bachelor’s degree in public relations. She has served as Communiqué’s communications manager since May 2019 and earned her master’s in communications from S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University in 2020. Ulrich is an active member of the community, volunteering with a variety of organizations including the YMCA of Ithaca and Tompkins County Board of Directors, Love Living at Home Marketing Committee, Tompkins County Chamber of Commerce Ambassador Program, Tompkins Connect Planning Committee, and SUNY Oswego’s Alumni Sharing Knowledge (ASK) Program. “I am so honored and excited about this new role and look forward to continuing to work closely with our team, clients and community,” Ulrich said. To learn more about Communiqué, visit communiquedesign.com.

 

Veteran transit advocate Laura Lewis to lead TCAT Board in 2022

Growing up in Buffalo, Ithaca Acting Mayor Laura Lewis and her friends relied on the city’s public transit system to get them to high school, to go shopping or to wherever they needed to go. To these teenagers, the bus wasn’t just a large multi-passenger vehicle but also a traveling social hub, a place to confab and connect with one another. Lewis not only appreciates public transit as a rider but also as a long-time community leader who began serving on the TCAT Board of Directors in 2019. Since then, she has immersed herself in all things TCAT by participating in scores of meetings, asking lots of questions and spending time with staff. These are all experiences, she said, that have strengthened her resolve to advocate for public transportation in an effort to help curb greenhouse gas emissions and to serve people who either can’t drive or choose not to drive. “We have a commitment to both urban riders and to non-urban riders who commute to jobs into the city and the county, people who come here for educational opportunities, for recreation and to visit our beautiful parks,” said Lewis, who, on Jan. 27, took over as chairperson of the TCAT Board of Directors at its first meeting of the year. And despite the many pandemic-related issues TCAT continues to face, Lewis told fellow board members and staff: “ I am looking forward to a productive year ahead.” Lewis praised Tompkins County Legislator Dan Klein, of District 10, a TCAT board member since 2016, who rotated out of his one-term rotation as TCAT’s 2021 chairperson. She thanked Klein for his stewardship of TCAT during a year of “unprecedented” challenges, while noting they won’t be conquered anytime soon. “We’re about to enter the third year of the pandemic, and that cannot be minimized,” she said. “We still have the impact of COVID on ridership and on our staff.” For more information, visit tcatbus.com.

 

Caleb Thomas named the January Community Hero of the Month

Twelve years ago, as a member of the city of Ithaca’s Public Art Commission, Caleb Thomas (above) spearheaded a contest that led to the creation of the Underground Railroad mural on Green Street. That effort led to more —much more — public art coming to downtown Ithaca. Today, Ithaca Murals, organized by Thomas, has taken up the mantle for public art projects, and the city continues to add to its murals collection. In 2009, there were about 15 murals in Ithaca. Now, there are over 200 with plans for more to come. Thomas is the guiding force behind this public art movement. The Tompkins County Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with Tompkins Trust Company, recognize him for his work envisioning canvases for beautiful and inspiring activist art in everyday places and spaces, naming him January’s Community Hero of the Month. Chamber President Jennifer Tavares noted the impact Thomas has made in the community through his work. “What Caleb Thomas has accomplished over several years through Ithaca Murals has brought creativity, art, beauty, a sense of place — and also awareness of the human condition and historic injustices — to our community,” Tavares said. “Caleb’s work has had a huge impact on this community, and we owe him a debt of gratitude for his gift of time and talent.” Tompkins Trust Company President and CEO Greg Hartz echoed Tavares’s sentiments. “Tompkins Trust Company is pleased to recognize Caleb Thomas for his important contributions bringing art that works to shift the cultural consciousness towards diversity, inclusion and justice to the greater Ithaca community,” Hartz said. Thomas is quick to say he is not the director of Ithaca Murals but an assistant to the artists who create the art, helping them deal with the paperwork and permissions that are needed. He also noted that each project is a small success that builds upon each other to create a big impact and that it’s important for people to see that small successes can add up to a big impact. “Watching the transformation and team building and the movement the murals have created,” Thomas said of why he works to bring public art to Ithaca. “It’s very meaningful to me, the support everyday Ithacans have to recreate our cityscape, and passersby get to see murals created by Indigenous artists, Asian artists, Muslim artists, Black artists.” There are also mural projects planned for several of Ithaca’s elementary schools, and Thomas sees a future of murals on residential homes as well. He said there are currently 16 murals on homes around the city already and thinks that will catch on more and more. In addition to more public art, an Ithaca Murals app is under development that Thomas said will provide a map of where the murals are located and information about the art, as well as the potential gamification of the experience. Ithaca Murals does pay artists a stipend for their time, as well as for supplies needed to create the art beautifying our community. Funding for that and the support of Ithaca Murals efforts comes through donations. Find more information about ways to donate at ithacamurals.com/donate.