You are reading

Former Republican Council Member Eric Ulrich Joins Mayor Adams’ Administration

Former Council Member Eric Ulrich is taking a job in Mayor Eric Adams’ administration (NYC Council/ Emil Cohen)

Jan. 5, 2022 By Allie Griffin

Former Queens Council Member Eric Ulrich has joined Mayor Eric Adams’ administration as a mayoral advisor, Adams announced Wednesday.

Ulrich — a Republican who represented District 32 in southwest Queens up until the end of 2021 — has been tapped as a senior advisor to the mayor.

He is one of two general advisors Adams named in a list of new staff members that includes chiefs of staff, commissioners and directors.

Ulrich represented the neighborhoods of Belle Harbor, Breezy Point, Broad Channel, Howard Beach, Lindenwood, Neponsit, Ozone Park, Richmond Hill, Rockaway Park, Roxbury, South Ozone Park, West Hamilton Beach and Woodhaven for 12 years on the City Council.

He was succeeded by Republican Joann Ariola, who now represents District 32.

In his announcement, Adams noted Ulrich’s instrumental role in passing legislation that established the New York City Department of Veterans’ Services as well as his relief efforts for constituents following Hurricane Sandy.

Ulrich is not the first Queens resident to take on an important role in the Adams administration.

Last month, Adams appointed Astoria native Lorraine Grillo as first deputy mayor. She is Adams’ second in command and oversees an all-women team of four additional deputy mayors.

Prior to joining Adams’ team, Grillo was named “recovery czar” by former Mayor Bill de Blasio to help the city come back from the pandemic. Before that, she served as CEO of the School Construction Authority for more than a decade.

Adams also appointed two Queens-raised leaders to the roles of the NYPD Commissioner and Schools Chancellor.

He named Keechant Sewell, former Nassau County chief of detectives, as police commissioner and David Banks, who founded a network of public schools for boys, as schools chancellor.

Sewell was born and raised in the Queensbridge Houses — the largest public housing development in the nation — in Long Island City. She later moved to Corona and then Jamaica as a child.

Banks, meanwhile, spent much of his youth in southeast Queens and Adams himself grew up in South Jamaica.

Adams said his new team members are experienced and ready to hit the ground running.

“This team has the experience, knowledge, and skill to take our government — and our city — to new heights,” he said in a statement. “Our motto is Get Stuff Done — and we are already off to a flying start.”