United Way of Tompkins County (UWTC) has announced that Ducson Nguyen and Deb Mohlenhoff will join together as co-chairs of this year’s community campaign.
County Legislature (District 1)
Travis Brooks is in the running to replace outgoing chair Leslyn McBean-Clairborne, who decided not to run again after spending 20 years as the legislator. Brooks defeated Nicole LaFave by 34 votes, 396-362. Brooks won the first ward 181 votes to LaFaveâs 105, while LaFave was favored in the second ward, 257 votes to Brooksâ 215.
Brooks is the deputy director of the Greater Ithaca Activities Center, where he manages programs focused on education, development and sustainability. Heâs also the director of Ithacaâs My Brotherâs Keeper, a program launched by President Barack Obama designed to address persistent opportunity gaps faced by boys and young men of color. He was also heavily involved in the Reimagining Public Safety collaborative between the city and the county, and will continue to serve on the newly created task force to work on the implementation of the plan.
Vanessa Greenlee, a founder of the Mill Park Concert Series, a Leadership Tompkins alumna, and the communications and training lead for the Breeding Insight program funded by USDA at Cornell University, has announced her candidacy for the Tompkins County Legislature to represent District 8.
The eighth district represents the Town of Newfield and a portion of the Town of Enfield.Â
âAs a resident of Newfield for 8 years, I am privileged to have experienced the beautiful surroundings and natural resources that life in Tompkins County offers. It is time for us to do more so that our rural communities are resilient through times of uncertainty. Broadband expansion is an important step. Access to affordable, clean energy is another. The pandemic offers an opportunity to build back in ways that are different from before and more suited to our current climate reality.âÂ