Episode #37: Lauren Hebert & Johanna Cogen
In fall of 2021, Access Fund started the new Climber Steward program in Indian Creek. On this month’s podcast, Peter sits down with Lauren Hebert and Johanna Cogen, the inaugural Climber Stewards. They posted up in the Creek during peak season this fall to share information and resources on how to ...
Episode #36: Luke Mehall
The guest for today’s episode is writer, podcaster, and perhaps most notably, the creator of the Climbing Zine, Luke Mehall. Originally hailing from the midwest, Luke was first exposed to climbing in Southern Illinois and at first, he didn’t really take to it. Through the trials and tribulations of ...
Episode #35: Felipe Proaño
Our guest for today’s episode is Felipe Proaño. Felipe is a professional climber based in Quito, Ecuador and is the founder and former president of Fondo de Acceso Andino — the equivalent of Access Fund in Ecuador. Fondo de Acceso Andino is a community-focused organization that works with members ...
Episode #34: Kendra Stritch
Our guest for today’s episode is Kendra Stritch. Kendra is a competitive ice climber and serves as the board president of the Minnesota Climbers Association (MCA). Minnesota has a lot to offer in terms of climbing, whether it’s rock or ice. As an LCO working on a state-wide level, the MCA works ...
Episode #33: Jon Hawk
Our guest for today’s episode is Jon Hawk. Jon is the Director of Gym Operations at Memphis Rox in Tennessee. Based in Soulsville, an underserved neighborhood in South Memphis, Memphis Rox serves as an access point to mentorship and helps community members overcome life’s obstacles. Memphis Rox ...
Episode #32: Briana Mazzolini-Blanchard
Our guest for today’s episode is Briana Mazzolini-Blanchard. Briana sits on the board of the Red River Gorge Climbers’ Coalition (RRGCC) and is very active in the world of social advocacy. Beyond her role and responsibilities as a board member, she has contributed tremendously to the RRGCC’s social ...
Episode #31: Peter Monks
Our guest for today’s episode is the president of the Bay Area Climbers Coalition (BACC), Peter Monks. Peter recently took over as president in January of this year and he shared an impressive amount of information and stories about the organization. Holding the responsibility over the land of ...
Episode #30: Curt Shannon
The guest for this month’s episode is Access Fund’s Policy Analyst, Curt Shannon. Access Fund and other allies have been working on protecting Oak Flat, an incredible area outside of Phoenix, Arizona, for over 15 years, and Shannon has been focused on protecting this world-class climbing area for ...
Episode #29: Audrey & Curtis Gale-Dyer
The guests for today’s episode are Audrey and Curtis Gale-Dyer. This power couple serves as the land management team for the Red River Gorge Climbers’ Coalition (RRGCC) in Kentucky. As land managers, they are responsible for planning and implementing large- and small-scale stewardship projects all ...
Episode #28: Sara Garlick
The guest for this month’s episode is Sarah Garlick. Based in North Conway, New Hampshire, Sarah serves as the board president of Friends of the Ledges, an advocacy group that covers the White Mountains of New Hampshire and Maine. Perhaps the most well-known climbing area in the region is Cathedral ...
Episode #27: Ben Scott
The guest for today’s episode is Ben Scott. Ben is perhaps best known for his role as president of the Northern Colorado Climbers Coalition (NCCC), a position he has held for more than a decade. But Ben’s creative nature has taken him well beyond his experience as NCCC president. Ben has etched his ...
Episode #26: Chris Winter
The guest for today’s episode is Access Fund’s fearless leader, executive director Chris Winter. As executive director, Chris leads the charge on organizational development and holds a pulse on all operations of the organization. The unprecedented events of 2020 forced Chris and his team to think ...
Episode #25: Veronica Baker & Dani Dobrot
This month’s guests are Veronica Baker and Dani Dobrot. Veronica and Dani are, respectively, the executive director and director of community engagement of The Climbing Initiative. Both Veronica and Dani are passionate climbers who have traveled to the far reaches of the globe in pursuit of ...
Episode #24: Graham Zimmerman
This month’s guest is Graham Zimmerman. Graham is a professional alpinist, filmmaker, and staunch climate advocate. Through the past couple decades of traveling around the world, prioritizing climbing over everything else, the red flags and telltale signs of a changing environment shifted to the ...
Episode #23: This is Us, Too
This month’s episode features multiple guests who share their insights and experiences in the space of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion. The guests include Access Fund staff member Taimur Ahmad, founder of Brown Girls Climb and Access Fund board member Bethany Lebewitz, and Access Fund ...
Episode #22: Conservation Team East
This is part two of my conversation with the Access Fund–Jeep Conservation Teams. Today is Annie and Mat from the East Conservation Team. This dynamic duo is responsible for the crags and boulders throughout the Eastern United States. As a regional team, they spend extended amounts of time in one ...
