Our People
Hard-working volunteers are the backbone of our organization. Thanks to all who supported us this year.
Current Board of Directors
Randy Kielbasiewicz
Co-Chair
Randy Kielbasiewicz has been climbing in Ontario for over 30 years. Generally preferring cliffs that are quiet and secluded, Randy has established numerous traditional and bolted routes across Ontario. In 2010, Randy reached out to Devil’s Glen Provincial Park as a local climber wishing to establish long-term official access. This led to joining the OAC Board of Directors in 2012, and becoming Co-Chair in 2014. Randy’s focus is Central Ontario.
Mike Penney
Co-Chair
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
Director
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.
Mike Makischuk
Director
Mike Makischuk started volunteering with the OAC in 2017. Climbing for over 20 years, he brings a strong passion for all aspects of climbing, from bouldering to sport climbing to alpine walls. Mike is also known to enjoy type-2 fun offwidth... Mike works tirelessly towards greater collaboration across the climbing community.
Jeremy Fortier
Director
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
Director
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.
Volunteers
Dustin Johnston-Jewell
Volunteer
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
Volunteer
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.
Jacquie Des Rosiers
Volunteer
Jacquie Des Rosiers discovered her passion for climbing in 2014 upon joining the youth team at Rock Oasis. Since then, she has become a dedicated outdoor climber and thoroughly enjoys exploring new climbing destinations and taking on challenging outdoor projects. Currently, Jacquie devotes her time to routesetting and coaching, finding fulfillment in connecting with the community and sharing her love of climbing. Jacquie started volunteering with the OAC as their newsletter editor in 2023. She is committed to raising awareness about the OAC's mission and work.
Matthew Gleeson
Treasurer
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
Secretary of the Board
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.
Alumni
We are always thankful for the ongoing support of our Alumni network that continue to steward climbing access as general members of the Ontario climbing community.
Honourable mention:
- Tony Berlier
- Andriy Kolos
- Kevin Pawliw
- Graeme Taylor
- Justin Dwyer
- Bonnie de Bruijn
- Andriy Kolos
- Christina Hale
- Jenna Rines
- Leslie Timms
- Garrett Hutson
- Allison Yan
- Kevin Fox-Chen
- Joshua Leyte-Jammu
- Kacy Wilson