Our People

Mike Penney

Mike Penney has been climbing in Ontario for over 20 years. Mike has been active in hardware replacement efforts and route development throughout Beaver Valley and Lion’s Head since 2011. He is a passionate outdoor and climbing photographer with work often published in Gripped Magazine. Mike joined the OAC Board of Directors in 2016, and became Co-Chair in 2018. Mike’s focus is South Western Ontario.

Patrick Lam

Patrick Lam has supported the OAC since its inception, but become more actively involved since June 2012 and a director in 2013. One of Patrick’s main goals is to improve the lines of communication between the OAC and the climbing community. His analytical, grammatical and technological skills are a great help to the team. Patrick has been climbing for more than 15 years, with the majority of that time spent in Ontario. He enjoys sport, trad, multi-pitch and mountaineering.

Tyler Coffin

Tyler has been actively volunteering with the OAC since 2019. He began climbing in 2009 and it has remained a passion ever since. Whether it's clipping bolts, an evening at the gym, or finding that satisfying nut placement, Tyler finds joy in the movement, quiet headspace and comradery with friends that climbing brings.
Based out of Guelph where he lives with his partner and pets. Tyler works in the software industry. While not climbing, Tyler enjoys hiking, camping, canoeing, and skiing.

Tori Silvera

Tori is an obsessive climber, an avid potter, and she loves business, finance, and science fiction (yes, please send her your favourite books in this genre). Tori the co-owner and general manager at Wild Rock Outfitters in Peterborough, Ontario. She's interested in using business to build fulfilling jobs and healthy community, as well as to contribute to preserving green spaces and facilitating responsible (and fun) outdoor recreation.

Tori loves climbing in all its forms, but especially traditional big walls. She's looking forward to contributing to Ontario Climbing Access through the OAC and getting to know more of the Ontario climbing community!

Jeremy Fortier

Jeremy has been volunteering with the OAC since 2018, having been inspired by the OAC's past work in climbing advocacy and community building. After serving as Secretary of the Board for several years, Jeremy now offers his support coordinating the OAC's volunteers, tabling at events and working on strategic projects. Jeremy began climbing in 2010. Although mostly a sport climber, Jeremy continues to explore new disciplines and has a passion for outdoor recreation in general, including canoeing and long distance hiking. When not adventuring, Jeremy works as a policy professional with the Government of Ontario.

Jessica Best

Jessica Best started climbing on the west coast, though she's originally from Ontario. Her passion for photography and the outdoors is a great complement to her love of climbing. Though a graduate of cognitive science and a software engineer by trade, Jessica takes advantage of every opportunity to get away from computer screens and be outside. These days you can often find her sharing her love of climbing by mentoring others, coaching competitive youth teams, or routesetting.

Dustin Johnston-Jewell

Dustin Johnston-Jewell has climbed in Ontario and across North America since 2008. His passion and excitement for sharing climbing with others has led to productive exploits such as Climbing Costa Rica, an English language sport climbing guidebook for Costa Rica; 5+ years of national level youth competitive coaching; acting as the Rock Coordinator with the Toronto section of the Alpine Club of Canada; and now volunteering with the OAC. He is fascinated by the propensity for climbers to shorten a climbing destination's name to “The...”: The Bugs, The Valley, The Red, The New, The Creek,... and so forth. He brings home the bacon in the strategy consulting world.

John Vellone

John Vellone is a proud father and husband, an avid rock climber, a keen ice climber and enthusiastic mountaineer. John is a board member of the Alpine Club of Canada, Toronto Section, and acts as a liaison on environment and access issues across the province. He regularly meets and negotiates with public land managers and private land owners to secure and maintain climbing access. When not climbing or being a dad, John works as a lawyer in Toronto specialized in energy law with a particular passion for designing legal instruments that will facilitate the development and growth of renewable energy projects across Canada.

Matthew Gleeson

Matt Gleeson only started climbing in 2018, but the sport has quickly become a cornerstone of his life. Matt prefers multipitch trad climbing and first learned on northern Ontario granite, but loves the Niagara Escarpment for weekend sport climbing. Matt previously worked as an entrepreneur in the broadcast accessibility field and is now employed as a Senior Business Analyst with TD Bank. Matt joined the OAC in 2022 as Treasurer to give back to the community and flex his Excel skills.

David Irwin

David Irwin started climbing indoors in 2013 before quickly transitioning outside, benefitting from mentors within the community. Dave first learned about the OAC through discussions regarding access to crags in Central Ontario. The valuable advice and useful resources provided by the OAC led him to becoming a member, and later a volunteer. Dave’s working hours are spent at RBC where he bridges the gap between Technology and Business.