New Director of the Coastal Center at Milford Point

Cathy Hagadorn, the new director of the Coastal Center at Milford Point. Photo copyright Connecticut Audubon Society.

The Connecticut Audubon Society is pleased to welcome Cathy Hagadorn as the new director of the Coastal Center at Milford Point. A longtime education manager at the Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk and an expert in the ecology of Long Island Sound, Cathy will oversee all of the programs, events and activities at the Coastal Center, which sits prominently on the east side at the mouth of the Housatonic River. Well-known among birders, anglers, summer campers and school teachers, the Coastal Center is among the busiest of the Connecticut Audubon Society’s centers.

“We are thrilled to have Cathy join our staff,” said Alexander Brash, president of the Connecticut Audubon Society. “She brings a wonderful combination of talent and experience – educator, naturalist, manager, communicator, and fundraiser – as we strengthen our programming, our regional board, and our presence in the community.”

Cathy holds a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from St. Michael’s College in Vermont. Additionally she is a Master Wildlife Conservationist volunteer for the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. Among other projects, her volunteer work has included many hours at the Shepaug Dam Bald Eagle viewing area in Southbury.

At the Maritime Aquarium, where she was a staff member for more than 13 years, her responsibilities included the development and management of science education partnerships with schools from throughout the region. She collaborated on database development for the Long Island Sound Biodiversity Census Project, and managed the aquarium’s research and education vessel. Cathy was instrumental in developing a new business model for working with select schools throughout the year.

At the Coastal Center, she will be overseeing the implementation of our award-winning Science in Nature educational program, expanding on partnerships among the community, and reaching out to academic institutions in the region.

Born in New York, Cathy moved to Ridgefield, Connecticut, as a young girl. She is a Bethel resident of over 10 years.