The Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) Board of Trustees has welcomed four new members. Pete Bucher, Jeff Hunley, Amy Taylor, and Heather Ulrey have all been sworn in and joined COTA’s 13-member governing board.

Bucher is currently on the Worthington City Council, where he helps set the community’s overarching policy direction. He also serves as the Chief of Staff for the Ohio Environmental Council, overseeing local, state, and federal advocacy strategies to secure healthy air, land, water, and democracy for all who call Ohio home. Bucher is a native of Central Ohio and a graduate of The Ohio State University.

“I look forward to joining a talented and passionate Board of Trustees dedicated to improving the quality of lives of our neighbors across Central Ohio,” said Bucher. “COTA has a strong commitment to developing sustainable public transportation and I look forward to working with the team to ensure COTA is an equitable world-class mobility service for customers and the community.”

The City of Columbus appointed local labor leader Jeff Hunley to the COTA board of trustees. A lifelong resident of Franklin County and currently living in Bexley, Hunley is a 17-year member of the Sheet Metal Workers Union Local 24, serving five years as president.

Most recently, he was elected to serve as the full-time business representative for the Columbus area. He also serves as president of the Central Ohio Labor Federation AFL-CIO.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to serve the central Ohio community as a member of the COTA Board of Trustees,” said Hunley. “As a long-time member of the labor community, I can bring an experienced voice to the board as we make crucial decisions to improve public transportation in our region. Improvements will be made because of bold, innovative initiatives and a strong, dedicated workforce.”

Amy Taylor is the president of Downtown Columbus, Inc., and has led major downtown improvement projects including the Scioto Mile, Columbus Commons, the National Veterans Memorial and Museum, and The Peninsula mixed-use development. Prior to her role at Downtown Columbus, Inc., Taylor was the Vice President of Public Affairs at the Alcohol, Drug, and Mental Health Board of Franklin County, Director of Communications for the Franklin County Board of Commissioners and has served as an adjunct professor at the John Glenn College of Public Affairs at The Ohio State University since 2013. . She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from The Ohio State University.

“As part of the 2022 Downtown Strategic Plan, the community emphasized the importance of connectivity within and to Downtown Columbus,” Taylor remarked. “I am honored to serve on the COTA board, dedicated to ensuring that residents, visitors, and employees alike have access to the opportunities within Downtown and our Region. The initial step towards achieving this goal is improving transportation accessibility, and COTA has ambitious plans in place. I eagerly anticipate contributing to the organization’s efforts to modernize and accommodate future growth.”

Ulrey currently leads government and community relations for Mount Carmel, connecting the government and the community to the health system. She has an extensive background as an external affairs professional, having held leadership roles at Cardinal Health, Franciscan University of Steubenville, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, L Brands, and the National Federation of Independent Business.

“I’m welcoming the opportunity to join other like-minded professionals striving to create opportunities for residents, workers, and employers across central Ohio,” said Ulrey. “With a background in health care, I want to continue the board’s mission of delivering safe and accessible mobility to meet the needs of our growing community.”

Ulrey graduated from Wittenberg University, and she lives with her husband, six daughters, and two foster children on their family farm in Central Ohio.