The Staff

Lyn’s climbing addiction began at Berkeley Ironworks in 2001, and she is forever grateful for how climbing and the community have changed the trajectory of her life. Lyn is happiest when climbing with her favorite... people and animals in the great outdoors, whether it be bouldering, sport, or trad. She’s a reluctant skier who is trying to get better, occasional lifter, and a lapsed knitter and runner who welcomes tips on all of the above. Most importantly, Lyn is the proud mom to an adult daughter and an elementary aged son and partner to a home inspector who likes traveling to climb almost as much as she does.

Jeffrey has been climbing for over 20 years across the world. Jeffrey’s formal education is in painting and drawing, but you’re more likely to find him on the Valley floor floating up boulder problems, or on... a bike running laps in the Oakland hills. Jeffery is one of our most experienced instructors and his clinics and private lessons slots fill up quickly! He answers to ‘Ye-feery’ and ‘Chuck’.

Michelle likes cats. She is a vegan. She doesn’t own a car. If you can’t find her behind the desk at BIW or at REI… good luck. She is probably backpacking the JMT or scuba... diving off the coast of Bali or climbing in Rocklands or raving in London or ____________. Your guess is as good as ours.

Cristina is a Connecticut native whose Puerto Rican heritage has guided her passion for the outdoors and people’s relationship to nature. She is a jack of all trades who has performed jobs such as monitoring... turtle and lobster populations, connecting students to science from research cruises in the the Mediterranean, and commercial scallop fishing in the northeast. A volunteer experience for youth climbing in San Diego inspired her interest to work with youth and thus she became an educator for Mount Tamalpais State Park in northern California. In an effort to combine outdoor recreation, the desire to be a better climber, and in search of a nurturing community, she landed at Berkeley Ironworks climbing and fitness. Cristina is thankful for all learning opportunities and seeks to be a mentor for young underrepresented adventures such as herself.

Riley was born and raised in the East Bay. He loves petting bumblebees, dancing in the dirt, and playing Magic the Gathering with friends. While studying Ecology & Evolution at UCSB, he decided to ditch... the wetsuit (literally used once), trade them in for a pair of climbing shoes, and never looked back. Since then, he’s worked with youth in outdoor education and restoration, coached climbing, and learned he’s happiest when it’s just him and the people he loves in the great outdoors.