Who We Are
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Nicki Manzanares
President, Director Nicki hails from Colorado, a veritable outdoor playground. In 2019, Nicki declared climbing her number one sport. To round things out, she also spends time doing watercolor and mentoring high school and college students. Nicki has been a member since 2017, Webmaster since 2019, Director (2021), and President since August 2023. She continues to strive to increase the presence of CASA in the Tucson community and is excited to help coordinate CASA's various community activities.
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Ben Elliot
Vice President, Director Ben first discovered his love for climbing while attending college in the Pacific Northwest, spending his days climbing in Squamish, Leavenworth, and other crags nestled in the shadows of the Cascades. He moved to Tucson in 2009 where he has been living, guiding, and climbing in the towering ranges of the Sonoran Desert ever since. He is owner of Altitude Mountain Guides, a local guide service in Tucson.
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Abby Stocks
Secretary, Director Abby is a long-time member of the Tucson climbing community, having gotten her start here in the late 90’s. She was involved in CASA at its start: participating in some of the first Mt. Lemmon clean-ups and graffiti removal activities. She is also proud to have been able to contribute to Tucson climbing as one of the primary editors of Squeezing the Lemmon III. Finding a little more spare time these days, Abby is looking forward to dipping her toes in the water, so to speak, and has stepped up as CASA Secretary!
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Maggi Dawson
Treasurer Originally from Southern Ontario, Canada, Maggi moved to Arizona in the 90's. After many years of lamenting the lack of trees to climb she embraced the desert, and learned to climb rocks. She began volunteering at Adopt a Crags in 2016; CASA Board of Directors in 2018; CASA President in 2020. In 2022, Maggi switched roles to become the treasurer of CASA.
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Russell Fette
Director, Promotions Coordinator Russ is originally from Texas, and first started climbing with his wife Carrie when they moved to Arizona in 2010. Russell and his family (4 children) especially love scenic hikes to quiet crags with moderate sport routes, but he has been lucky enough to experience some of Southern AZ’s more epic offerings like Baboquivari. After years of benefiting from the stewardship of other volunteers while they raised their kids on the trails and crags, Russ and his family are excited to give back to the land and community that has given them so much. Russ is on the Board of Directors for CASA and serves as the Promotions Coordinator – always on a mission to get out more sweet CASA swag.
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Luke Bertelsen
Director, Anchor Team - Team Lead Luke is equal parts Iowa and Montana, but has called Tucson home for the past 20 years. His love for limestone sport climbing means that when he isn’t helping run Rocks and Ropes, you can find him in the mountain ranges south of Tucson searching for new routes. Luke has coordinated CASA’s anchor replacement efforts and team since the beginning, and is very proud of the work the team has done for the Southern Arizona climbing community. Luke started serving on the CASA Board of Directors spring or 2023 and continues as Team Lead for the CASA Anchor Team.
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Paul Bowron
Director Paul is originally from Casper, Wyoming. He learned to climb in Law School in Laramie, Wyoming/Vedauwoo. His favorite type of climbing is trad, as "trad is rad." Paul is on the CASA Board of Directors and volunteers at Adopt a Crag events, whenever possible. His goal is to promote safe use of climbing areas around southern Arizona.
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Andy Bennett
Director, Stewardship Originally hailing from the pancake-flat Midwest, Andy cut his climbing teeth in the early 2000s on the wild granite cracks and slabs of Colorado's South Platte. Since then he's been lucky to visit a variety of climbing areas around the world, but his power spot will probably always remain in California's Eastern Sierra. Andy has been an active CASA member since the group's inception, replacing old bolts around the region and leading erosion control crews during Adopt a Crags on Mt. Lemmon. He envisions a future where CASA is a partner in building a connected, cooperative, and strongly inclusive outdoor community that can achieve positive on-the-ground impacts that equally benefit the climbing community and the native ecosystems where we're privileged to climb.
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Jayci Ferrimani
Director, Education Coordinator Jayci grew up in a small rural town called Berthoud in Colorado and started exploring nature with his family through hiking and scrambling. After spending several decades exploring, climbing, and guiding all over the southwest U.S. and Alaska, Jayci settled in Tucson with his wife, Marie Chantale. He loves any activity that involves a rope to get somewhere. Since then, Jayci has spent the majority of his time climbing, hiking, and introducing newcomers to southern Arizona. Jayci is newer to the CASA team and hopes to apply a diverse background of experiences working in the outdoor industry to help CASA's mission and its contributions in the climbing/outdoors community.
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Jonathan DeGooyer
Director, Social Media Coordinator Jonathan grew up in Northern Colorado and moved to Tucson in 2015. He grew up going to state parks and hiking the foothills of the Rockies in Colorado. Always having a love for the outdoors, Jonathan recently got back into outdoors sports and backpacking with his wife Stephanie. He is always encouraging people to get outside and take advantage of the glory that we have in The Old Pueblo.
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Eric Ruljancich
Stewardship Coordinator - Team Lead Eric is originally from British Columbia, Canada and has been climbing for an impressive 24 years. His first time climbing ever was City of Rocks, ID. Eric loves most types of climbing, but primarily focuses on hard sport these days. He was one of the original founders of CASA and has been the Stewardship Coordinator for 7 years. Eric wants CASA to be a place where climbers can give back to the places and community that makes this sport what it is. Favorite climbing areas locally: Prison Camp, Mt Lemmon. Favorite places in AZ: Lime Kiln Canyon, AZ Stip.
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Jill Andersen
Membership Coordinator Jill has been an adventurer for as long as they can remember. Jill was hooked on sport climbing as a little gym rat, but fell in love with the discipline when their sister brought them to climb in the Colorado Rockies years ago. Jill made a career in entertainment managing stages, performers, and light before they arrived in this desert. Nowadays they take care of their cat, admire the cactus, and scramble about on rocks, trails, and trees whenever they get the chance. They are looking forward to giving back to CASA and the climbing community as they enjoy and protect our glorious natural environment!
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Nadia Moraglio
Newsletter Coordinator Nadia is originally from Italy but has lived in Tucson since the mid ‘90s. She discovered her passion for climbing in 2001, on Mt. Lemmon, thanks to a good friend who thought she would enjoy climbing.
He was right, and since then, Nadia has enjoyed climbing and being part of the climbing community. Despite her connection to climbing, Nadia has not worn her climbing shoes for a time due to injury. In the meantime, she is happy to be able to help CASA with their newsletter and other social media events. |
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John Macaluso
Community Liaison Coordinator John Macaluso started climbing in Northern Nevada about 3.5 years ago. His climbing career began with bouldering, but he has since grown to love top rope and hopes to learn how to lead soon. Other than climbing, John loves staying fit, which includes calisthenics, weightlifting, and running. He also loves video games, comic books, heavy metal, and tons of different foods!
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Brian Rasmussen
Graffiti Removal Brian has been the Graffiti Removal Coordinator since the beginning of CASA in 2015.
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Owen Brosanders
Youth Outreach & Deputy Director Owen has lived in Tucson for almost his entire life and started climbing at the age of 6. He found a tremendous love for the sport after he joined the Rocks and Ropes youth team three years ago.
He is very passionate about the outdoors and climbing has become another way to explore nature and exercise. Owen is excited to be a part of the CASA team as the Youth Outreach Coordinator and is excited to connect with a very important part of the climbing community and give back to this amazing sport! |
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Other Leadership Team Members: Donation Drive Coordinator - Jonathan DeGooyer Social Media Coordinator - Jonathan DeGooyer Promotions Coordinator - Russell Fette Webmaster & CliffNotes - Nicki Manzanares Anchor Team - Luke Bertelsen, Don Wilson Stewardship Team, Anchor Team - Andy Bennett Education Coordinator - Jayci Ferrimani Grants - Maggi Dawson, Nicki Manzanares |
