October 2021 - Welcome New CASA Leadership Team Members
Jill Andersen - Membership Coordinator
Hello climbers! I have been an adventurer as long as I can remember. I got hooked on sport climbing as a little gym rat, but fell in love with the discipline when my sister brought me to climb in the Colorado Rockies years ago. I made a career in entertainment managing stages, performers, and light before I arrived in this desert. Nowadays I take care of my cat, admire the cactus, and scramble about on rocks, trails, and trees whenever I get the chance. I’m looking forward to giving back to CASA and the climbing community as we all enjoy and protect our glorious natural environment! Picture taken at the summit of Mt Wrightson (June 2020) |
Don Wilson - Board of Directors
Don enjoys being a part of the local climbing community. That’s the best part of climbing. He partakes in any and all aspects of climbing - sport, trad, long routes, short routes, big walls, or new routes. It’s all good. Except ice climbing, that’s too cold. And bouldering, he’s too old for that. He and his wife Karen love to travel to climb, and still travel to different areas a few months every year. They’ve been fortunate to climb and meet new people at climbing areas all over the world and across the US. Don has been CASA’s Social Media Coordinator for several years, and is also part of the Anchor Replacement Team. If you see a tall guy out at the crags, it might be him. Come up and say hi. |
Russell Fette - Board of Directors
Russell and his family have bounced around the world, but are finally back to Tucson and throwing down roots in our mountain playgrounds. 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. Aside from Russell becoming a Director, he has been and will continue to be the Promotions Coordinator (all-things-swag) since 2019. Russ loves almost every activity available outside in southern AZ, whether cragging, hiking, camping, trail running, or just watching our beautiful sunsets in his back yard. His favorite Arizona adventure to date has been on Baboquivari. |
Nicki Manzanares - Board of Directors
Nicki hails from Colorado, a veritable outdoor playground, where she grew up downhill skiing, backpacking, figure skating, and other outdoor activities. Upon retirement from engineering, her and her husband started enjoying their winters in the warmth of the Arizona sun. Nicki and family started sport climbing and canyoneering together in 2016, having visited the canyons in Utah, and climbed in several states, Germany, and Thailand. In 2017, Nicki decided to pursue sport climbing regularly. She joined CASA, Great Old Broads, BCC, and Access Fund, allowing her to give to back to the climbing communities and participate in stewardship and land advocacy programs both in Colorado and Arizona. Picture: The Gallery, Red Rock Canyon NCA (April 2017) |
Paul Bowron - Board of Directors
Hello CASA, I am excited to join the CASA team to give back to such a fabulous organization and improve climbing here in Southern Arizona. I hail from Wyoming and have made Tucson my home not only to climb and backpack but also practice Family Law. I enjoy backpacking and shamelessly using trekking poles. Learning to climb in Vedauwoo, Wyoming, I enjoyed leading climbing and backpacking trips through the University of Wyoming Outdoor Program. If you hear somebody heading to the crag with hexes/torque nuts, it is likely me. |