Xavier Bravo, Events Coordinator
Allyssa Burnley, Lodging Director
Foster Denney, Graphic Designer
Billy Dixon, Partnerships Manager
Billy Dixon - Partnerships Manager
Billy fell into climbing back in Pittsburgh, PA where he grew up and studied Marketing at the University of Pittsburgh. He's spent the last five years getting deeper into climbing and working with various nonprofits in Pittsburgh and the Front Range, most recently working with the Boulder Climbing Community managing their events, partnerships, membership, and marketing. He joins the AAC with an endless psych for crafting impactful events in support of the climbing community, and when he's not working, you can find him climbing outside with friends, playing music with his partner Vani, and palling around with his dog Gus.
Eddie Espinosa, Community Programs Director
Eddie Espinosa—Community Programs Director
Eddie started at the AAC as volunteer, leading the Cascade Section in Washington State. He has a strong background in the outdoor industry both in the non-profit world and retail sector. As a former guide/instructor, brand manager, and outdoor program director, he has a diverse set of professional experiences and instinctively seeks to make the climbing world inclusive to all.
He cut his teeth climbing in the North Cascades while at Pacific Lutheran University, and has subsequently climbed throughout the world. Eddie is based out of Seattle, Washington and loves climbing everything including sunny boulders, tall mountains, and frozen waterfalls. Much of his time now is spent adventuring with his two sons Evan and Anderson.
Ben Gabriel, Executive Director
Elias Hakim, IT Manager
Shane Johnson—Vice President Marketing & Communications
Shane grew up in Columbus, Ohio and was exposed to climbing at an early age through trips to the local climbing gym and a mentor that taught him to climb in the Red River Gorge and New River Gorge. During high school, a summer long trip to Colorado cemented his love for the outdoors and solidified his goal to move "out West." After graduation from Syracuse University with a B.S. in Marketing Management, he moved to Golden, Colorado to pursue his passion for climbing and the outdoors. Since moving to Golden he has developed a penchant for long, demanding days in the mountains. Before joining the AAC, he worked as a manager at Bent Gate Mountaineering and the Marketing Coordinator at Rab. If he's not out climbing during his free time, he's focused on spending time with his wife, two sons and two dogs.
Dougald MacDonald—Executive Editor
Dougald MacDonald has been a full-time climbing journalist since the mid-1990s. In addition to writing a book about Longs Peak and countless print and online articles, he has worked as Editor and Publisher of Rock & Ice magazine, Editorial Director for Climbing and Urban Climber, and now Executive Editor of the AAC. In this position, he is responsible for the American Alpine Journal and Accidents in North American Climbing, as well as the club's publications website. Dougald has been climbing for more than 35 years and still enjoys just about every aspect of the sport, from bouldering to long alpine routes. He especially loves putting up new routes in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado and Wyoming.
Heidi McDowell - Vice President Development
Heidi hails from sunny California where she was climbing, rafting, and backpacking guide at U.C. Davis. From there she expanded her climbing repertoire in the great PNW, learning actual footwork on slippery basalt and clipping runout bolts at Smith Rock. From 2012 to 2015, she was the AAC Oregon Section Chair, while simultaneously working at the Mountain Shop, the oldest mountaineering gear store in the country. For the past few years, she's crafted events for the AAC. In her downtime she can be found clipping bolts, shredding powder, mountain biking, or hiking in the mountains with her pooch and AAC office dog, Gradie.
Sierra McGivney—Content Coordinator
Ashlee Milanich—Deputy Director
Ashlee comes from Kentucky, where she discovered climbing in the Red during university. She graduated from the University of Kentucky with a B.A. in International Studies. Most recently, she worked for the Red River Gorge Climbers’ Coalition as their first Executive Director. She focused on strategic planning and expanding programming through educational and community outreach, local business and governmental relationships, and coordinating events. Ashlee has a passion for movement, art, and travel. She has spent much of the last five years hanging around, often upside down, either climbing or performing aerial acrobatics.
Karyn Perdue - Events Manager
Kelly Pittenger, Vice President Finance & Operations
Kelly Pittenger - Vice President Finance & Operations
Kelly joins the American Alpine Club as its Operations Manager and looks forward to bringing her years of experience in nonprofit operations to the Club. She enjoys collaborating with all members of the AAC team and strives to improve operational excellence within the organization.
During her time at Colgate University (Biology, Environmental Studies) and the University of Pennsylvania (Master of Environmental Studies), she explored her passion for wildlife biology and conservation. Here, she utilized her capstone project to research the use of detection dogs for noninvasive wildlife monitoring, spending time tracking moose populations through Adirondack Park. She’s excited to bring this environmental conservation and sustainability background to her work at the Club.
Kelly couldn’t be happier to be living somewhere that aligns with her love for the natural world. When she isn’t working, you’ll likely find her skiing, mountain biking, cooking, and exploring new places with her golden retriever, Bear.
Leigh Preston - Membership Director
Leigh grew up in Syracuse, New York and attended nearby Hamilton College, where she studied Environmental Science and Geosciences and quickly found her passion for rock climbing and outdoor education. She moved to Colorado in 2018 in search of larger mountains and less humidity. Her background working at climbing gyms and as an outdoor educator has only solidified her excitement for exploring the outdoors and getting more people outside. When not at work, you can find her hiking or trail running with her cattle dog Murphy, or skiing at A-Basin.
Hannah Provost, Content Director
Nick Ridley, Education Director
Katie Sauter—Library Director
Katie started volunteering at the AAC Library in 2011 and joined the staff in 2013. She serves as librarian, archivist, and curator for the Club and for the American Mountaineering Museum. She holds a BA in History and Russian Studies from CU-Boulder and a Master’s in Library Science from McGill University. She is also a Certified Archivist. Born and raised in Colorado, she loves exploring the state, its history, and its mountains. Katie enjoys everything found in the AAC Library collections. Her favorite collections are the photographs from early exploration of the Canadian Rockies and Selkirks, the Colorado Mountain Club Collection, and the Nicholas B. Clinch Collection with its many incredible treasures. Here are some recommended books.
Shara Zaia, Program Manager