Officers
PRESIDENT: DAVID THOMPSON
With being a Firefighter/EMT and Entrepreneur, Climbing has always been David's number one passion in life. From traveling to route development, there isn't an aspect of climbing that doesn't get him excited. David enjoys spending his time for new areas to develop, projecting, and training. He has been a member of the ARCC board since 2017 and is now motivated to volunteer and give back to the climbing community by preserving climbing areas throughout Arkansas. Climbing has taught David how to overcome challenging obstacles, always follow your instincts, and good belayers are hard to find. You can find me in the backwoods of Boone or Newton County with a pack full of beer and psych level high.
president@arkansasclimbers.org
870-688-3067
VICE PRESIDENT: ANDREW BLANN
Andrew Blann is a Fayetteville based climber with a passion for deep hollers, steep cliffs, technical slabs and new rock. Andrew resides in Fayetteville with his wife and daughter; he is the Marketing Director at Fossil Cove Brewing Co. Born in Kansas, Andrew spent countless summers exploring the Arkansas and Missouri Ozarks by land and water. He started climbing in 2005 and was shortly introduced to Arkansas climbing on a summer trip to Sam’s Throne, despite the humidity, bugs, poison ivy and sweat, Andrew was hooked. Since his first Arkansas climbing experience he’s spent countless days climbing, exploring, developing and enjoying the amazing climbing resources the Ozarks have to offer. According to Andrew, Arkansas is one of the most underrated states for climbing, unless you hate uncrowded crags, bullet rock, and wild spaces. Andrew also has a secret love for choss and Missouri limestone.
vicepresident@arkansasclimbers.org
SECRETARY: OLIVIA VITATERNA
(They/Them)
Olivia grew up in Illinois, began climbing in 2013, and moved to Fayetteville AR the following year for college. They started climbing outdoors, and worked at the university climbing wall, and dove headfirst into AR rock climbing. They began leading outdoor trips, hosting women's and LGBT+ camping and climbing weekends, and volunteering at the annual 24HHH competition. After graduating, they moved to Horseshoe Canyon Ranch to continue full-time guiding and educating. For three years, they lived in Jasper AR teaching beginner climbers thoughtful and comfortable ways to climb. In that time, Olivia became a certified Single Pitch Instructor through the American Mountain Guide Association, learned rebolting and development practices, and in 2021 joined the Board of Directors of the ARCC.
In 2022, Olivia returned to Fayetteville and deepened their involvement in 24HHH volunteer end, leading the largest team the competition manages, and deepened their involvement in the board, moving to the Secretary position and attending dozens of ARCC meet-ups and events. Olivia loves being the boots on the ground supporting large social events, connecting people to climbing on an individual level, and being out of cell service on a rock somewhere.
Secretary@arkansasclimbers.org
Directors
JOSEPH WALKER
Born and raised in the Ozarks, Joe spent most of his childhood barefoot in the woods. Not much has changed except now you’re more likely to find him at the crag instead of the creek. He was introduced to climbing about 5 years ago and it has been his life ever since. Although mainly a sport climber, Joe enjoys all styles of climbing that Arkansas has to offer. Road trips have been rewarding and humbling, showing insight within and exposing weaknesses he needs to work on. Some of his most memorable trips have been to Red Rocks, Devil’s Tower, Potrero Chico, and summiting Grand Teton. His passion for the outdoors makes him want to help preserve our public lands so everyone can enjoy them for years to come. When Joe isn't climbing or training, he is helping people find their next piece of property as a real estate agent.
Fun fact - If you hear Joe giggle while he's climbing, he's scared.
JANE LACSON
(She/Her)
Jane was born and raised in Phoenix, AZ and moved to Fayetteville, AR in 2016. She had climbed off and on for 5 years, but Arkansas was the catalyst to make it a primary passion. Every weekend was spent camping and climbing, filled with new challenges. In 2017, she made it into the lottery of 24 Hours of Horseshoe Hell with her partner, Nick. It was a struggle and triumph of a lifetime as they both reached their requisite 100 routes each with less than a minute left.
A few of her goals is to visit Yosemite and Red River Gorge, but until then, she is an advocate of Leave No Trace, the protection and preservation of climbing areas, and to bring as many people as possible into the joys of climbing! On her spare time, when not climbing, she can be found buffing up her amateur photography, web development, and graphic design skills.
JD BORGESON
(He/Him)
JD was introduced to climbing while attending the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. After growing up playing team sports in Texas, climbing offered a more individualistic challenge to both the body and mind. After a year of just climbing in the university’s climbing gym, it was only natural that he began making his way outside to scramble up the sandstone boulders at Lincoln Lake. In the decade (and more) since that time, JD has spent many days in the backwoods of Arkansas and around the country honing his skills in each discipline: bouldering, sport, and trad. JD loves teaching, no matter if you are a new climber learning to heel hook or if you just want to know what type of bird/bug/snake/tree that is.
JD graduated in December of 2012 with a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering. After college, JD moved to Little Rock where he currently resides. JD obtained his Professional Engineering license (P.E.) in 2017, and he has professional experience in Environmental, Transportation, Site Design, and Construction Management Engineering. Being a weekend warrior limits JD’s time on real rock, so if he is not at work you can likely find him in his garage scheming on ways to get stronger.
Elisa Miller
(She/Her)
Elisa was raised on the west coast, and started climbing 18 years ago. She fell in love with climbing and met her husband, Aubrey, through this shared passion. They have climbed all over the western US! They relocated back to Arkansas, his home, to raise their little one! They now call the Fort Smith area home, and are often found exploring the local crags as a family.
Elisa has been blown away by the diverse and fantastic climbing in the state, the rock in this area is phenomenal! The climbing has something for everyone, welcoming beginning climbs, kid friendly crags, bouldering, and dynamic, challenging climbs that push the grades! Not to mention, just being outside is fantastic!
She is passionate about giving back through stewardship days, route development, climber education, and working with land managers. She is excited to learn and grow as a climber within this amazing community; she wants to give back, to see climbing and the spaces where we climb protected for future generations. As a teacher, she has always cared about learning and getting to share learning with others. She wants to encourage others to grow as climbers, recreate responsibly and safely, and to feel welcomed and supported in the community.
Advisors to the Board
JONATHAN CHILDS
Jonathan Childs is a multi-discipline filmmaker and Assistant Professor of Digital Media based in North Little Rock, Arkansas. When he's not teaching or fiddling with cameras you'll find him in the woods with his wife and son climbing on every rock he can get his hands on!
KYLE ROWDEN
Kyle was born and raised in the Southeast and was fortunate enough to grow up just a few miles from Rocktown before moving to Chattanooga. Some of his earliest memories are rock-hopping, barefooted among the magical boulders on top of Pigeon Mountain - back in the early 90's, just as bouldering started to take root in the area. His obsession for climbing has been full throttle for 20 years and there's no sign of slowing down. He has travelled all over the country and explored many of the dark spaces on the maps; but the mysteries he continuously uncovers in the Natural State has kept him stoked for over a decade. He has bolted 150+ routes in Arkansas, rebolted 60+ routes, and put up 300+ boulder problems across the Natural State. He’s always searching for the next "Best Crag." Kyle strives to promote sustainable ethics and stewardship towards our public lands by using the ARCC as a vehicle for bridging the gap between climbers and land managers.
Kyle holds a B.S. in Geology from Arkansas Tech University and a M.S. in Geology from the University of Arkansas, and loves people coming and asking him geology questions.
SCOTT DEVLIN
After getting my undergrad degree I joined the U.S. Army and served four years, from 1985 to 1989. It was during this time that I started climbing - at first big alpine routes in the Alps, and then rock climbing. After leaving the Army I studied law, and upon graduating became a lobbyist for a non-profit environmental group. While doing this I accrued quite a bit of experience dealing with environmental law, government red tape and negotiating with legislators and my corporate counterparts. After this, I spent many years as a private legal consultant dealing with civil law matters. I have been a board member and president of several outdoor and athletic groups over the years, mostly having to do with running and adventure racing and orienteering. I have spent many hours here in Arkansas working with Friends of the Ouachita Trail and the Lake Ouachita Vista Trail Dogs maintaining mountain bike and hiking trails. As far as climbing, I climb sport and trad and alpine mountaineering and have climbed all over the U.S. I am an accredited American Mountain Guide Association Single Pitch Instructor, I have certification as a Wilderness First Responder and I currently work as the Climbing Instructor and Youth Coach at Climb Bentonville. I do volunteer work with adaptive climbers with varying disabilities and I also do some guiding in the Ozarks. The sport of climbing is growing exponentially every year and I would like to use the experience and skills that I have accrued over the years to help cultivate a healthy, well informed and respectful climbing community here in Arkansas while nurturing productive relationships with state and federal land managers so that we continue to have access to our crags.
MICHAEL HENDREN
Michael started climbing when he was 15 with the Boy Scouts of America. He fell in love with it immediately. He then started working for the local Boy Scout camp teaching climbing and rappelling along with working on a ropes course. He lives in Little Rock, AR.
His first outside climbing experience was Sam’s Throne; which is still his favorite crag in Arkansas. During college he started working at Ozark Outdoor Supply, where he is the Manager and Buyer now. He started helping the Arkansas Climbers Coalition in 2011 with fundraising through raffles.
After several years, he was asked to join the board about 3 years ago. He doesn’t get out as much as he used to, but currently loves the fact that his daughter, Mallory, is starting to get into climbing.
DANIEL CARNAHAN
Daniel Carnahan is one of the founding members of Arkansas Climbers Coalition, holding a board member position from 2009-2012, served as Vice President from 2012-2015, and was President from January 2015 to September 2017. He has been an advocate for Arkansas climbing since he first started rock climbing in 1995. He has held many different positions, molding himself into one of the most experienced climbing leaders for this state. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Park & Recreation Administration. Volunteer hours include Arkansas State Parks, Arkansas Natural Heritage, Nature Conservancy, Access Fund Conservation Team, and Leave No Trace. He is consistently supportive of gym-to-crag ethics, by working with Leave No Trace. Daniel believes that Arkansas has some of the coolest rock around, and that is worth protecting for future generations.
CHASE WEBB
Chase joined the Arkansas Climbers Coalition Board of Directors in fall 2017. He resides in Fayetteville, AR with his wife and fellow board member, Judith Brown, where he works as a Civil Engineer for ESI. Chase began climbing in 2012 while attending Oklahoma State University and immediately became immersed in the sport. He made the trek from Stillwater to the Ozarks during most weekends and became familiarized with the backwoods of Arkansas. Although his “home crags” were the Wichita Mountains and the Ozarks, climbing has taken him all over the United States, showing him a broad range of styles and ethics. Chase hopes his passion for all disciplines of climbing, devotion to re-bolting routes and diverse climbing background will keep pushing Arkansas climbing in the right direction.
MITCHELL ALLEN
Mitchell Allen is the Recreational Use Manager for The Nature Conservancy of Arkansas, a worldwide non-profit conservation organization that has offices in Little Rock and Fayetteville. Previously he worked for the National Park Service in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Vernal, Utah. Throughout his career he has advocated for restoration and sustainable use of public and private conservation lands through development of amenities and community engagement projects. He has been climbing since 2006 and has climbed extensively in Arkansas and many states throughout the west. Aside from climbing in the Ozarks, his favorite place to get lost is in the deserts and canyons of eastern Utah.
COLE FENNEL
The eight previous years of year of my life have been centered around one thing, rocks. I caught the rock climbing bug my senior year in high school and almost instantly fell for it. It didn’t take long to realize rock climbing is much more than a sport or a hobby for me, it’s my life. Soon after graduating high school my girlfriend (now wife), Mary, and I moved from our hometown of Fayetteville, Arkansas to Boulder, Colorado. I spent nearly all of my two and a half years in rockies on the local rocks or on the road and almost exclusively trad climbed. I took annual trips to hueco tanks and sport climbed here and there, but the majority of my non-work time was spent in places like Eldorado Canyon and Rocky Mountain National Park with a few long stints in Yosemite Valley and the Moab area. In December 2007 Mary and I moved home. The first 18 months or so of being back in Arkansas I spent working feverishly on a comprehensive roped climbing guidebook to my home state. Since the release of Rock Climbing Arkansas: Comprehensive roped climbing and select bouldering (fixedpin.com), my focus has shifted entirely to developing. I’ve hiked and scrubbed a ton of boulders over the last few years, but I’m most psyched hanging on a rope with drill in my hand bolting choss.
Ambassadors
We are currently accepting applications!
NICHOLAS PURINTUN
Community Engagement Coordinator
Growing up in Oklahoma I really didn't think this region of the US had much to offer. So, I got bit by the adventure bug and traveled around the western US finding climbing as a deep passion of mine. I spent a lot of time exploring, living, and climbing in many different environments from alpine granite to desert sandstone and cave bouldering in Romania. Along the way, I developed a love not just for the sport but for the communities that all outdoor activities have to offer. So, after coming back to Arkansas to finish a degree in Communication, I developed a passion for the outdoor community close to my own home in the Ozarks. Now, I work at a local gear shop and will be continuing to further my education in Communication in order to help build and strengthen the outdoor community here and hopefully beyond.
SHARON BENNETT
Central Arkansas Ambassador
IG: @superflyooo
Sharon grew up in the foothills of the Ozark- St. Francis National Forest, where she spent most of her time wandering through the woods.
She is a devoted mother to a genius teenage boy, a climber, and ultra runner.
Sharon spends most of her time fostering community through her work as a non-profit race director for Arkansas Ultra Running Association, and in the Central Arkansas climbing community. She is passionate about creating genuine and meaningful connections, and believes in the transformative power of outdoor recreation.
She lives in Little Rock, and manages Professional Services for a global consulting firm when forced to work.
BRANDON GRIFFIN
Central Arkansas Ambassador
Brandon is an Arkansas Climbing Coalition (ARCC) Ambassador in the Central Arkansas region. After ten years of living and climbing in Virginia, Utah, and California, this native Arkansan relocated to Little Rock in 2019 where he often is found at the local gyms and crags. Brandon is known for rallying climbers at the annual Arkansas Climbing Festival and 24 Hours of Horseshoe Hell Endurance Rock Climbing Competition. He also serves as a grant preparation consultant to ARCC. Brandon’s interests include facilitating the gym (indoor) to crag (outdoor) climbing transition with athletes of all levels, increasing equitable access to climbing resources and opportunities across diverse communities, and promoting the benefits of outdoor recreation for physical and mental health.
ARCC Founder
LOGAN WILCOXSON
Logan was the owner of Little Rock Climbing Center with his wife Melissa – built in 2003 with a mission to build a climbing community in central Arkansas. He was a founding member and past-president of the Arkansas Climbers Coalition, an American Alpine club ambassador, American Mountain Guide Association Single Pitch Instructor, Climbing Wall Association instructor provider, USA Climbing Level 1 route setter, and a Wilderness First Responder. He guided trips in Peru, Ecuador, Tanzania, and Nepal.