Meet the Team

Like many small businesses, it’s our staff that bring our space to life. MW Climbing was hand built from the ground up and we couldn’t be prouder to call these people members of our team.

  • CEO & Routesetter

    Having never been involved in sports her entire life, Wendy was truly surprised that she fell in love with climbing. For her, climbing is about continual self-improvement through creative problem solving. It has helped her build confidence, strength, and discipline in her life.

    Before starting MW, she was a statistics professor & research scientist & author.

  • Founder, Routesetter, & Coach

    Matt began climbing during his studies at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2014 and you can often spot his signature look: cardigan/sweater and climbing pants. Although he enjoys all types of climbing, he is known in the Nebraska climbing community for his particular affinity to bouldering.

  • Head Routesetter & Manager

    Growing up, Bryce was always terrified of heights. It wasn't until the early part of his college life that he was convinced by some friends to give climbing a try, and he quickly became obsessed with the sport. Bryce completed his undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Bryce loves the problem solving aspect of climbing. As a route setter, he strives to set enticing routes for all to enjoy, challenge themselves on, and fall off of. Outside of school and climbing, he also enjoys coffee, puzzles, and pushing himself physically and creatively.

  • Programs Director, Head Coach, & Routesetter

    Rhianna started climbing early into her college career and fell in love with the sport very quickly, despite initially being afraid of heights. She liked how it challenged her both physically and mentally, while also loving the community she became a part of. She graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with degrees in Environmental Studies and English and is passionate about protecting the environment. Rhianna loves working with other people and helping all kinds of climbers in their climbing journey. In her free time, she enjoys biking, playing with cats, and being a plant mom.

  • Head Routesetter & Manager

    Not proficient in any sports, Zoe’s dad signed her up for rock climbing when she was 12. She was immediately hooked, because there was very little coordination involved (in the beginning). Now, she climbs casually, still lacking coordination.

    Zoe has passion for teaching, coaching, plants, and routesetting. She plans on continuing her career in Routesetting long term.

  • Outreach Coordinator & Youth Coach

    When Mya found climbing they fell in love with not only the sport itself, but the community around it. With years working as a freelance show choir choreographer they liked exploring movement and space and found climbing to suit those interests while pushing them mentally to try their hardest and overcome the mental block of a fear of heights. They recently graduated from Doane University with a degree in Music Education and intend to teach middle or high school choir and show choir in the fall.

  • Routesetter

    Ricardo is the king of dynamic movement. Having started climbing as a student at UNL, he’s continued on his passion for climbing at MW.

  • Routesetter & Youth Coach

    Amara has been climbing since 2011, at 5 years old, and now she is completely obsessed. She has been competing since 2015, both locally and nationally. Since Amara has spend over 2/3rds of her life climbing she is very familiar with helping new climbers learn the sport and set fun routes. Outside of climbing she enjoys spending time with friends, being outside, and school.

  • Customer Service

    Novice to the sport of bouldering, Andrew found his way into the climbing community while reconnecting with friends. A Veteran, Andrew served over 7 years as a Hospital Corpsman with the US Navy and Marine Corps. He accounts his time spent with the Marine Corps as a platoon Corpsman to be the most character-building experience of his life. After being honorably discharged in 2016 Andrew worked as a cook/barista and remodeled residential homes while pursuing a life of astronomy and building energy scavenging devices. In his free time Andrew loves watching Rupaul’s Drag Race and can be found learning about new foods and cuisines or is hiking with his Siberian Husky and German Shepard.

  • Customer Service

    Asa has been climbing for several years and his love for the finger pain has only increased with time. He has found that the best way to climb is just for fun. Asa doesn’t focus on improving, instead he prefers to set his own fun routes on the Tension Board 2.

  • Yoga Instructor

    Shannon has always loved all forms of movement, and eventually fell in love with climbing and yoga in 2011. Shannon is a registered yoga teacher certified in Vinyasa and Power Yoga methodologies and has a passion for fun, high-energy, alignment, and mobility focused yoga classes. As a 9-5 desk job warrior, her goal is to help counteract the degradation caused by our stationary lifestyles through movement, breathwork, strength, and mobility to improve your quality of life, and hopefully help you add some new beta for that problem you're projecting!  Besides the physicality of both yoga and climbing, it's truly the welcoming communities that she loves most! She is excited to be joining the MW community and looks forward to meeting everyone in a class or in the gym!

  • Customer Service and Youth Coach

    Growing up I played nearly every sport I could and thought tennis and soccer were my favorites. I played one season of tennis for Nebraska Wesleyan my freshman year of college. Then later in life (later = 26 ) I found bouldering and have been obsessed ever since. Like many, I became addicted to the mental and physical workout. I am finishing a MSc in neurocognitive psychology from the Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg and plan to continue working in research after graduating. I have many other outdoor hobbies like fishing, snowboarding, and golfing, but my absolute favorite indoor hobby is watching horror movies!

  • Customer Service and Youth Coach

    I was never into climbing, didn't even know it was a sport, until my doctor recommended as a way to increase bone density without lifting weights. After my doctor recommended it I took a rock climbing class at UNO and instantly fell in love with the sport and I've been involved ever since. Outside of rock climbing, I'm pursuing my degree in environmental science with a minor in chemistry because of my love for the outdoors. In addition to climbing, I love surfing, hiking, and really anything outside in general. I have also been a vegetarian since I was 7 after I watched Bambi and love video games!

  • Customer Service

    I was born in Wisconsin and moved to Nebraska when I was a kid. During High-school I was enrolled in MCC's Automotive Tech program, I then moved on to study Architectural Drafting and Design at Wayne State College for two years before I decided that wasn't for me. I have been an auto body technician since then. I got into climbing roughly two years ago as a way to pass the time and it soon turned into a hobby, maybe even an obsession. When the opportunity arose to work at the climbing gym I frequented so often, I could not refuse! I'm Glad to be here and look forward to the days to come.

  • Yoga Instructor

    After 20 years in the mortgage industry and raising her 2 sons, Jenny veered away from corporate America and onto a path of health and wellness. She is now a certified yoga instructor and reiki master, offering modalities to help people feel better in their bodies and minds. She was thrilled to find an opportunity to teach yoga at MW Climbing where she can also revisit her longtime aspiration for bouldering.

    Jenny enjoys painting, hiking and camping, spending time among trees and in the mountains whenever she can, and loves animals. She and her husband currently have one sweet and mischievous dog, Luna, aka “she who cannot be trusted”. They love to travel and have been to Norway, Spain, Ireland (where they were married!), Mexico, and Canada as well as numerous places in the continental US. Jenny hopes to always seize new opportunities for wander and adventure.

  • Yoga Instructor

    Maygon has been pursuing her passion for yoga for over 7 years.  In 2020, she took training to become a teacher.  Currently, she teaches at Blue Moon Fitness, Heart Space, Fitucate, privates, and is beyond excited to be adding MW Climbing to her weekly schedule.

    Maygon isn’t a climber yet, but is thrilled to have the opportunity to learn with MW Climbing.  She loves yoga because it gives safe space to slow down and still.  This allows every yogi to check in and increase personal awareness of breath, body, mind, and heart. Yoga is for every body because it allows each individual to modify as needed from injuries, tightness, soreness, or how your body shows up for you on your mat.  We show up in our body every day, but every day our body shows up differently than it did the day before.

    Yoga and all physical practices are just that, a practice.  We get to choose to continue to learn and grow and show up present with ourselves.  Maygon’s hope within your practice of yoga is to walk through the world more present every day, increasing your mobility to enable you to do all the things you want to do as you become wiser with age.

    While Maygon teaches linking body movement and breath, the a ha’s likely happen in the curiosity of subtle sensations and nuances in the body, but the critical element to any practice is fun.  Working with wrists, hands, fingers, ankles, feet, and toes will likely improve overall mobility as well as your ability to climb.  Look forward to seeing you soon!

  • Customer Service

    Heights were never Dalton's strength. Fearful of anything from ladders to rollercoasters, this all changed early in college when they found climbing.  Originally enticed by the movement and physical challenge, he stayed for the friends made along the way.  Dalton completed their undergraduate's in conservation biology at SUNY ESF, a small college in upstate New York.  Besides his obsession with climbing, Dalton enjoys hikes, horror movies, reading science fiction, and bonding with their two dogs and cats.

  • Customer Service

    Stephen is an enthusiastic climber with a background in the U.S. Navy, where he gained valuable technical and teamwork skills. Currently pursuing a degree in Applied Psychology, he’s passionate about the mental and physical aspects of climbing. Stephen is excited to support others in their climbing journey and be a part of the gym’s vibrant community. When he’s not climbing, he enjoys exploring the outdoors and playing Magic: The Gathering.

  • Customer Service

    I started climbing in my junior year of high school and it soon became a big safe space for me to go to whenever I needed community. Surrounded by individuals who are all aspiring for similar goals helped me get out of my shell and appreciate a more social sport. Coming from a big family from the south I always craved for an interest I could savor just for myself and climbing is that for me. In my free time I’m most likely writing poems or gaining some sort of inspiration for future writings, whether that’s through shuffling my tarot cards or meditating with my crystals. I’m also well versed in astrology and like to go deep dive on how the planets are affecting my friends and I. I enjoy the peace and quiet of nature too from time to time so if I’m ever MIA I’m more than likely trudging along a cool path that caught my eye making friends with the wildlife. I’m a very soft and emotional soul that appreciates environments such as MW to not make me feel less than for wanting better things for my life.

  • Customer Service

    I was born in Okinawa, Japan, and soon after moved to the U.S. I’m a military kid who loves to travel and go outdoors which is why I quickly fell in love with this sport. The main reason why I stayed with climbing is because of a special someone from my chemistry class. When I got offered the job here at MW I immediately jumped to take it because I wouldn’t want to work anywhere else!

  • Customer Service

    Maddie got into climbing a little over a year ago and fell in love with it. At the time she was trying to find a way to work out without it feeling like a workout, and that’s what I found here at MW. Maddie loves to paint mostly abstract but sadly inspiration tends to strike less and less. Maddie does have a passion for baking and animals, she has a orange tabby cat, a lavender leopard gecko, and two dogs both mutts, man can she bake and talk about animals on a daily. Maddie also works as a teacher as her primary job; she absolutely loves it, the little bitties just melt her heart. Maddie plans to someday visit climbing gyms all over the world and maybe create one of her own with a bakery of course hah ha! Maddie will be around the gym from time to time give her a chat who knows maybe inspiration will strike.