The Montauk Chamber of Commerce has a new executive director, Jennifer Fowkes.
"I've always loved Montauk," said Ms. Fowkes in a phone interview. "I think the combination of the town, the beaches, the trails, the Lighthouse, everything about Montauk has always felt like an escape to me. So, to be part of the community and let others see the amazing things to do in Montauk, it warms my heart."
"I am thrilled to be joining the ranks of this esteemed team," she added in a press release.
Before joining the chamber, Ms. Fowkes was the development and events manager at I-Tri, a nonprofit that uses the sport of triathlon to empower middle-school girls. Before that, she spent over 15 years as a volunteer for a variety of sports, community, and religious organizations, where she sat on boards, managed, coached, and supported teams through event-planning, fund-raising, and grant-writing initiatives throughout the community. She has facilitated numerous collaborations and partnerships across a variety of industries such as fashion shows, auctions, sporting events, dinners, benefits, and races, including the Montauk Mile.
"It was extremely important that this position exude not only intimate knowledge of both Montauk and Long Island's iconic East End, but also possess a distinct sense of community as we continue to work with Montauk's home-grown businesses and entrepreneurs," said Paul Monte, the president of the Montauk Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center. "We welcome Jennifer to the team and look forward to working with her to enhance community engagement and overall destination awareness as we head into the spring and summer seasons."
Upcoming events include the 11th annual Montauk Music Festival, farmers market, Concerts on the Green, the Blessing of the Fleet, and Fourth of July celebrations.
Ms. Fowkes said she was especially excited "to be able to come on board just as things are reopening."