Fenimore Art Museum, Farm Announce Leadership Change

COOPERSTOWN—Dr. Paul S. D’Ambrosio, president and chief executive officer of Fenimore Art Museum and Fenimore Farm, has announced his retirement in 2026, after more than four decades of transformative leadership, scholarship, and institutional advancement, officials announced on Thursday, October 30.

“On behalf of the board, I want to extend our deepest gratitude to Paul for his remarkable service,” noted Jane Forbes Clark, chairman of the Fenimore Farm Board of Directors. “His steady leadership, integrity, and care for our mission have strengthened Fenimore Farm at every turn—building lasting partnerships, elevating our visitor experience, and nurturing a culture that puts people first. His leadership has made Fenimore Farm what it is today, and his impact will be felt for years to come.”

Dr. Jeff Pressman, chairman of the Fenimore Art Museum board, remarked, “Paul’s tenure and dedication to the Fenimore Art Museum has been extraordinary. His vision and scholarship elevated our institution and deepened its impact on both our community and the field of American art. It has been an honor to serve alongside him, and his legacy will continue to inspire all of us for years to come.”

After receiving his master’s in museum studies from the Cooperstown Graduate Program, D’Ambrosio joined Fenimore in 1983 as a folk art intern, becoming assistant curator the following year, associate curator in 1987, and chief curator in 1996. He pursued a doctoral degree at Boston University, earning a PhD in American and New England studies in 2000. His dissertation formed the basis of the acclaimed exhibition and publication “Ralph Fasanella’s America” (2001), praised by “The New York Times” and later shown at the Ellis Island Immigration Museum. He has curated exhibitions nationally and internationally and authored or edited numerous books and articles on American art, from “Folk Art’s Many Faces” (1987) to “America’s Rome” (2009) and, most recently, “The Elegant Brush of Sturtevant J. Hamblin” (2024).

A dedicated educator, D’Ambrosio served as an adjunct professor in the Cooperstown Graduate Program from 1983 to 2021, teaching American art and American folk art for 38 years and shaping generations of museum professionals.

D’Ambrosio was named vice president and chief curator in 2005 and became president and chief executive officer in 2011. During his tenure, he strengthened the museum’s position as a leading center for American art, expanded programming, and guided the institution through key strategic transformations.

When it came to identifying the future leadership of both institutions, D’Ambrosio looked to his former student and mentee, Joshua Campbell Torrance, who is currently serving as the executive director of The Florence Griswold Museum in Old Lyme, Connecticut. Torrance will join the Fenimore in January 2026 as senior vice president, working alongside the current administration until the official retirement of D’Ambrosio during the summer of 2026.

D’Ambrosio remarked, “I am extremely proud of what we have accomplished throughout my tenure. I am confident that under Joshua’s leadership the future of Fenimore Art Museum and Fenimore Farm are in good hands. There is no one I trust more with the stewardship of two places that have meant so much and been such a large part of my life, for 42 years.”

“This is a homecoming for me,” Torrance commented. “I graduated from the Cooperstown Graduate Program and began my career under Dr. D’Ambrosio in 1998 as a curatorial assistant. Paul has been a mentor and friend to me throughout my career, and I am honored to have been selected as the new president and chief executive officer. I look forward to working alongside him and ensuring a smooth transition for all the stakeholders. I look forward to building upon what he started.”