Dear Friends,
I’d like to introduce myself as the new Advancement Manager for the Friends of Clermont.
I am a recent transplant to the Hudson Valley region, having been born and raised on Long Island. This is not my first time living upstate though. I earned my Bachelor’s degree in History at SUNY Geneseo, and my Master’s degree in Public History at SUNY Albany. I interned at the Irish American Heritage Museum in Albany and the Walt Whitman Birthplace State Historic Site in Huntington. There, I delved into the history of the historic birthplace and early home of famed American poet, Walt Whitman. Inspired by my Nana who grew up in Huntington, I completed an extensive study on the history of the town of Huntington.
After my internship, I served as both the administrator and the Director of Education for the birthplace’s Friends group, the Walt Whitman Birthplace Association (WWBA). I managed the membership program, oversaw the intern and volunteer program, wrote their annual newsletter, and managed the gift shop. We had multiple options for school-led field trips, but I noticed we lacked any materials and programs catering to the needs of homeschool students. I studied New York State’s Common Core requirements, and I created the site’s first homeschool curriculum, including lesson plans for K-12 students. Families could choose to follow an ELA-based lesson plan through samples of Walt Whitman’s poetry, or a history-based lesson, where students would learn about American history through events in Walt Whitman’s life.
My next role was Advancement Associate at the Long Island Museum (LIM) in Stony Brook, where I managed the membership program, helped with donation campaigns, assisted in planning special events, secured gift in-kind donations, oversaw the Long Island-based artist membership program (LIMarts), and co-managed the annual members’ exhibition.
This year, I took a leap of faith to move off Long Island. In my heart Long Island would always be my home, but in this season of my life, I belong in the lush countryside of upstate New York, which is how I came across the Friends of Clermont. I am thankful to call the Hudson Valley my new home. I am excited to take on this new role and look forward to aiding our Executive Director, Randy Tryon, to usher in a new era for the Friends of Clermont. Together, we are looking forward to strengthening our connections with our supporters, members, and local community, as well as supporting the state in maintaining the beautiful and historic site of Clermont.
See you at Clermont soon!
Emily Meyer
Advancement Manager
Fun Facts about Emily
Favorite Musicians: John Denver, George Harrison, and Harry Styles
Hobbies:
I collect historical cookbooks. The oldest book in my collection is from 1908.
When travelling, I like to collect souvenir spoons and ornaments.
I love to cook and bake, and so did my ancestors! My mom’s ancestors owned a bakery in New York City at the turn of the twentieth century, and on my dad’s side, my great grandfather and grandfather owned delis on Long Island.
Pets: Two cats, George and Juniper, and a leopard gecko named LP.
Favorite Holiday: Christmas. I have a large Christmas village collection and decorate three Christmas trees every year. I even have one in my kitchen!
Favorite Season: Autumn. Nothing compares to seeing the brilliant colors of the changing leaves.
What drew you to Friends of Clermont?
Some of my favorite memories from my childhood involve my Oma and her garden. Now that she has dementia, gardening is a way that I feel connected to her, and when I learned about the Harvesting History program, I knew I had to get involved!
I am an avid nature photographer, and my favorite subjects are wildlife, botanicals, and landscapes. I’m excited to be the Friends of Clermont photographer!
