FFI Appoints Matt Jockers as President and CEO
Jockers is a lifelong fly fisher and current Certified Casting Instructor, bringing decades of mission-driven leadership to the organization.
FFI announced that Matthew (Matt) Jockers has been named President and Chief Executive Officer, effective September 1, 2026. A lifelong fly fisher and current FFI Certified Casting Instructor, Jockers steps into the role with a deep personal connection to the sport and more than three decades of experience leading large, mission-driven organizations.
Jockers learned to fly fish at age nine on the Yellowstone River just east of Livingston, where his family counted legendary fly shop founders Dan and Helen Bailey among their close friends. Through his teens and twenties, he guided and worked as a horse wrangler and packer on ranches across Montana and Wyoming and spent three summers working the counter at Dan Bailey's Fly Shop in Livingston. Those early years on the water shaped a lifelong commitment to the sport and to the people and places that sustain it. Today, Jockers is an FFI Certified Casting Instructor and is pursuing his two-handed casting certification. He and his wife, Angela, live in Montana's Bitterroot Valley.
His professional career has been equally diverse. Over more than 30 years in higher education, he served as a tenured Professor of Literature and Data Analytics, as Associate Dean of Research at the University of Nebraska, and as Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Washington State University. He also founded and led a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, helped launch three technology startups and, most recently, served as a Distinguished Research Scientist and Senior Engineering Manager at Apple.
"Fly fishing helped shape who I am, from my early days on the Yellowstone to the summers I spent working at Dan Bailey's," said Jockers. "What excites me most about FFI is the extraordinary community behind it. Across our clubs, councils and groups, and among our instructors, volunteers, Board and staff, there are people giving their time, knowledge and energy because they care deeply about fly fishing and its future. There is tremendous opportunity to build on that foundation, expand the ways we serve fly fishers and ensure FFI remains a strong and relevant voice for the sport for generations to come."
"Matt stood out because he brings together two things that were incredibly important to us in this search: significant leadership experience and an authentic connection to the community FFI serves," said Tilda Evans, Board Chair of Fly Fishers International. "He understands FFI as an angler and instructor, while also bringing the experience required to lead and grow a complex nonprofit organization. We believe he is exceptionally well positioned to build on FFI's strengths and lead the organization forward."
Jockers' appointment follows a national search conducted by a Steering Committee appointed by the FFI Board of Directors after Rhonda Sellers assumed the role of Executive Director in December 2023.
Sellers has served FFI in numerous capacities over many years and stepped into the leadership role at a pivotal time for the organization. Her steady leadership provided continuity while giving the Board the time needed to undertake a thoughtful search for FFI's next leader.
"Rhonda stepped forward when FFI needed her, and we owe her an enormous debt of gratitude," said Evans. "She brought experience, commitment and a deep understanding of this organization to a very challenging assignment. She has served FFI extraordinarily well, not only during this transition but throughout her many years with the organization."
Sellers will remain available to support Jockers and FFI through the leadership transition before retiring in 2027. FFI extends its sincere thanks for her years of service and wishes her the very best in retirement.