CFFCM hooks a new director

Abate’s goal: boost awareness of center

By Zoey McGee | Manor Ink

Over the summer of 2022, the Catskill Fly Fishing Center and Museum hired a new executive director. Alexandra “Ali” Abate is excited to bring her knowledge and experience to the center.

“The Catskill Fly Fishing Center and Museum is a non-profit organization in Livingston Manor that interprets, preserves and provides storytelling about the heritage of the birthplace of flyfishing in this area,” said Abate. Located on Old Rte. 17, CFFCM’s 53-acre property contains the museum; the Wulff Gallery with exhibits dedicated to legendary flyfishers Lee and Joan Wulff; the Heritage Craft Center, a bamboo rod-making shop including historic rod-making equipment and artifacts; a gift shop; and beautiful walking trails, a pavilion, a casting field, pond and access to the Willowemoc Creek.

Abate talked about how great a place this is, in such a beautiful area. “There’s so much in it, and it’s so incredible, but I don’t really know if enough people understand fully about what we do,” she said, speaking of the services and resources CFFCM provides. She is already planning improvements for the center.

“I hope to get more people here to see what we do, and really also grow and expand our programs to reach more people. That could be in the form of educational programs for youth, which we’ve started but hope to expand,” Abate said. “Also more programs for adults and families, and more diverse events that will utilize our space and increase people’s awareness that we’re here and can be an asset in a larger capacity.”

A unique background

Abate lives in Livingston Manor part-time and resides in Brooklyn the rest of the time. “I first started coming up here in college because I had a friend whose parents had a home in the area. So that’s how I first knew about this place. I never really imagined I would move here.” That same friend told her that the executive director position was open at the CFFCM, as Abate had been looking for a job with a nonprofit organization, one with an environmental element. The position seemed a perfect fit.

She did not have a direct path to the directorship, however, because her background was quite unique. She studied psychology, and was interested in dance and choreography as an undergraduate at Amherst College.

“I didn’t really know exactly what I was going to do when I graduated. I got a teaching job, working with preschool students who had special needs, because that was the easiest way to start working with just a bachelors degree in psychology.” Abate spent a few years doing that while trying to figure out what else she wanted to study. That turned out to be social work.

“I think it has proven to be a very cool and flexible degree. It gave me skills that are generalizable, so I knew I could work with different populations in different ways.” Studying both psychology and social work has helped her in many of her previous jobs.

Connecting with younger generations

Since earning her social work degree at New York University, Abate has worked for Partnership with Children and Big Brothers and Sisters of America, as well as Queens County Farm, where she was director of education for nine years. “That job was really a lot of fun because it allowed me to learn how to create educational programs; we created an entire adult education model that they are still using today.”

Abate believes those experiences will help her with her current position, and is excited about working with the center’s board members as well as its members in the community.

“I really think I can bring some of my past expertise to this place and sort of revamp, rethink and restructure things in a way that will bring the CFFCM to younger generations, and to people that may not realize that we’re here.”