meet our Staff

JULIA GEISLER (SHE/HER) (about pronouns)

Executive director

Julia@saltlakeclimbers.org

I am deeply honored to serve the Wasatch climbing community and protect the places we love to climb. My personal connection to climbing has grown exponentially through this advocacy and stewardship work.

andrew brodhead (he/Him)

anchor Maintenance coordinator & Advocacy Coordinator

anchors@saltlakeclimbers.org / advocacy@saltlakeclimbers.org

Climbing and its community have been an integral part of my adult life. I've been climbing for over 18 years and have been a part of the Salt Lake climbing community since 2016. I am honored to be able to use my skills and experience, including my background as a SPRAT Level 3 Rope Access Technician, to service the Salt Lake climbing community in a greater capacity.

EMILY TROMBLY (SHE/HER)

Communications coordinator

communications@saltlakeclimbers.org

I am honored to be part of the SLCA team as the Communications Coordinator. Climbing and its community has positively affected my life in more ways than I can count. Being able to give back to this community and the Wasatch is a huge honor that I strive to do through my position by bringing awareness and working together to help protect the Wasatch for generations to come.

Sarah Allen (she/her)

Event Coordinator

events@saltlakeclimbers.org

I grew up in Echo Canyon Utah with the mountains as my backyard. I started climbing 10 years ago and spend my free time hiking, skiing and backcountry snowmobiling. I was raised to be a steward and an advocate for the environment. With my background in environmental education, I can tell you any fun fact from the names of plants, fossils or types of rocks. I have worked in events for almost a decade and I love any opportunity to connect with the community.

eric salmi (he/Him)

anchor Maintenance Tech

I am from Utah and have lived most of my life here in Park City. I grew up skiing at a very young age which is how my passion for the Wasatch began. As a 19-year-old, I climbed Hatchet Crack in Little Cottonwood Canyon as my first route. I got hooked instantly and haven't looked back since. I have been climbing for over 20 years now!

I joined the SLCA as a volunteer to help with bolt replacement in 2020 and later got a position as an anchor technician. It has been a privilege to work for the SLCA and give back to the sport/community I care about so much. I think it is important to preserve climbing so the next generations can climb these routes with safe and sustainable hardware. When I'm not rebolting, I work as a climbing guide in the summer and in the winter I work as ski tech tuning skis.

I like all forms of climbing, from bouldering in the gym to aid climbing. I spend a lot of my free time climbing for myself and some developing. I also backcountry ski, kayak and mountain bike, but mostly just focused on climbing these days.

Alex Lemieux (he/Him)

anchor Maintenance Tech

I moved from Montreal 22 years ago for the climbing and skiing lifestyle. I work as a skiing and rock climbing guide whenever I’m not doing anchor maintenance work with the SLCA and I try to ski and climb for myself in my free time.

The Wasatch Mountains have offered me so much in terms of meaningful outdoor experiences that at some point, I felt the desire to give back. 5 or 6 years ago, I got involved with WARI and started volunteering for re-bolting projects. I guess that makes me the longest active anchor technician still involved with the SLCA, and it’s a privilege to be able to pass on and improve on all the skills that I’ve developed over the years.

I enjoy all forms of climbing, but I would say that developing new routes has become the most rewarding aspect of climbing for me over the last ten years or so. I enjoy looking at an unclimbed section of rock, imagining where a new route could go and putting in the effort to make it happen.

It’s quite a unique job! I really enjoy the "bolt geeking” aspect of it: there are so many intricacies about how to remove and install bolts of all kinds. I like the fact that it requires various techniques to get the work done efficiently (free, aid, rope access, tools, craftsmanship, etc). Giving back to my climbing community, making routes safer and having fun teamwork keeps me coming back too!

Davan Howell (he/Him)

anchor Maintenance Tech

I’m a dedicated rock climber with 12 years of experience and a deep passion for the mountains. I’ve been working at IME for about 2 years. I love working at the shop, because I can share knowledge and beta with experienced and new climbers daily. When I’m not climbing for fun, I spend my time developing new routes and boulders. I really enjoy the adventure of new routing and constantly seeking fresh challenges in the mountains. My background also includes over 6 years of working at heights, specializing in route setting and rigging. I’m excited to give back to the salt lake climbing community by providing peace of mind when clipping fixed gear up in the Wasatch!

chris brown (he/Him)

anchor Maintenance Tech

I grew up on the east coast and moved to Utah for college, but stayed to ski and spend more time in the mountains. My love for the mountains and the limitless rock in Utah also led me to become a rock climber.

Working full-time as a mountain guide, I certainly value the importance of safe anchors. I want to give back to the area I live by helping maintain the anchors I, my co-workers, friends, and clients rely on. The Wasatch is a unique place with many different rock types and phenomenal access to the mountains that I love to call home and find hard to leave.

I love long trad climbs, alpine climbing and have enjoyed working sport climbing projects for the last few years. I prefer the pristine granite of Little Cottonwood Canyon, but I also enjoy the three-dimensional limestone I've experienced internationally.

Being part of a professional crew with great mentors is extremely fulfilling. The problem solving inherent to anchor replacement and preserving the character and nature of the route as well as the rock make anchor maintenance an interesting and enjoyable pursuit.

MATT CLARK (he/Him)

anchor Maintenance Tech

I grew up on the East coast where I was an avid skier. My love for the sport brought me out west. I worked as a lift and tram mechanic for many years and this is where I learned to enjoy working at heights. This led me to the sport of climbing which I quickly fell in love with. I enjoy all different types of climbing and rock. In my opinion, Utah has some of the best skiing and climbing that is very accessible, so I decided to make it my permanent residence three years ago. I have really enjoyed the climbing community in the area and I am excited to help maintain this beautiful environment I call home.

Support

Tallie Casucci (she/her)

SLCA Librarian

tallie.casucci@utah.edu

Tallie is currently working with the Marriott Library’s Special Collections to move SLCA’s digital content over for preservation.

The J. WILLARD MARRIOTT LIBRARY DIGITAL EXHIBIT now hosts the SLCA’s story through the years in a searchable database! A huge thanks to University of Utah Librarian, Tallie Casucci, and her library colleagues for their dedicated work on this project. It was no small task and is still evolving today as history continues to be made. The SLCA’s digital records at the library consist of administrative files, project information, and general materials of the SLCA since it’s inception. Starting in 2018, Tallie has completed copyright analysis on thousands of photos within SLCA’s Archive. She contacted known photographer authors, so eventually their photos can be posted in the Digital Library. This means the photos will be discoverable by researchers, historians, and students around the world.

Do you have photos or materials documenting climbing history or other outdoor recreation?

As archivist Betsey Welland says, “Give it to the library! Let us preserve your collections and provide access to current and future generations!”

Learn more about the library partnership here!

Eric Chabot (he/him)

GIS specialist

Eric has been climbing and touring in the Wasatch since 2012, and is excited to use his mapping skills to help protect the crags and boulders. When he's not climbing, he can be found splitboarding, bowhunting, or picking on a guitar.