Press release from Maggie Ullman:
First-time candidate and former Sustainability Officer for the City of Asheville Maggie Ullman seeks a seat on City Council in 2022.
“Asheville is a special place facing unprecedented change. To me, the question isn’t if we move forward, it is how we move forward. I believe we must go forward together. I am committed to lift up and leverage what is working and rebuild what is broken.”
Maggie may be best known for her role as Asheville’s first Sustainability Officer when she transformed policy into action that resulted in close to a million dollars in annual savings through reduced energy spending for city taxpayers and increasing Asheville’s residential recycling by 35% with the big blue recycling carts.
“This is our home, and this is our moment to ensure that all Ashevillians have housing, that we are prepared for the climate crisis, and that we come together to move forward. We may not experience the same struggle, but we share a love for this community. I believe in the potential of our future and commit to being trustworthy, inclusive, and creative to meet our community needs.”
Maggie has deep experience as an advocate and volunteer in the community on environmental protection, equity, multimodal transportation, and clean energy. Maggie is currently a member of CoThinkk and serves as a Board member for Asheville on Bikes. Maggie was recently appointed to the Environmental and Energy Stewardship Subcommittee for Buncombe County and is a Commissioner on the City of Asheville’s Multimodal Transportation Commission. She is a former board member of Blue Ridge Public Radio and the past president of the North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association.
While serving as Asheville’s first Sustainability Director, Maggie co-founded the Southeast Sustainability Directors Network. She later served as its Executive Director before joining the ClimateWorks Foundation. She is currently a consultant where she builds coalitions with nonprofits and foundations by getting them to row in the same direction toward ending climate change.
Maggie graduated from UNC-Asheville with a degree in Environmental Policy and Management and a minor in Economics. She is married to Chris Berthiaume, a past president of Just Economics of Western North Carolina, Asheville on Bikes, and the Circle of Mercy church. The couple is raising an 8-year-old daughter named Ruby and recently welcomed a puppy to their home in the Claxton neighborhood.
Maggie said that she will exercise recommended precautions to reduce the spread of COVID-19 as she makes time to meet with as many residents and voters as possible. “Job one for me is to listen, to earn your trust, to problem solve with you, and to demonstrate that I deserve your confidence and your vote to represent you on our City Council.”
Maggie established her campaign committee October 6 by filing required documents at the Buncombe County Board of Elections. Maggie invites the public to her in-person and virtual campaign kickoff events on October 28th. Visit Maggie4AVL.com for details. Candidate filing opens December 6.
Will she push for TRUE equity, inclusion and diversity for ACS and BCS consolidation to achieve the ALL ONE school need ? Or will she allow the racist white democrats to continue segregated control ?