The Staff

Jenna is not a sunshine person. She prefers to go outside if it is cold and gloomy which doesn’t make sense with living in sunny Southern California. Climbing is her passion because it allows you to try as hard as you can and push yourself mentally and physically. She is always happy to chat about climbs, beta and training techniques so don’t hesitate to say hello when you see her. Oh, and food. Jenna can talk forever about food. If she’s not at the gym then you can expect she’ll be outside climbing, attempting mountain biking, or chillin’ somewhere nice with a beer. Cheers!

Martha is an original, born-and-raised Valley girl. She is like, so ecstatic to be closer to home! You will find her roaming around Stoney Point or the nearest Marshall’s. Her favorite song to rock on to is “Bohemian Rhapsody.” She spends pretty much all her time training, riding her new bike, reading, and learning how to be patient with yoga moves. (What can we say, she is a jitterbug that can’t hold still!) She hopes to one day be recruited by the Sailor Scout squad, but in the meantime you can catch her here at Verdigo. Side note: She is getting better at remembering people’s names.

Joe was born in Pittsburgh, PA, but grew up in LA. All he wants to do is rock climb, take photos and eat tacos. Before working at Verdigo, he was in a band called Run River North. He will do his best to help anyone finish their projects at the gym, so feel free to grab him whenever you need help!

Nelson grew up in lovely Burbank, CA but loves the gloomy weather of the Pacific Northwest. You used to be able to find him at Active Ride Shop in Burbank setting up skateboards or hanging out on his day off, but now you’ll see him hanging at the gym a little more often. He loves pizza so much that he has a slice tattooed above his knee. If he’s not at work or out eating you might find him at home or probably out skateboarding, snowboarding, or biking around LA.

Brad grew up in Crystal Lake, a northwest suburban town of Chicago. He moved out to Los Angeles in August of 2018 and has no intention of leaving anytime soon. He was always very active as a kid. He grew up playing baseball, skateboarding, and wrestling, among other shenanigans. At 20 years old, he discovered his passion for climbing from the local hole-in-the-wall bouldering gym. If Brad isn’t climbing he’s probably watching comedy shows, watching movies, or listening to a podcast.

Sophie is a Mississippi native who moved to Los Angeles in 2020 for graduate school. She’s a queer trans woman who fell in love with climbing as a way to connect with other folks in the community through bodily movement. Outside of the gym, Sophie studies Social Welfare and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at Cal State LA. When she’s not shamelessly geeking out about political theory, she’s probably sipping tar water espresso, hiking, or cooking lavish vegan soul food. She’s a potluck queen, so give her a shout if you’re trying to feast on some collard greens, black-eyed peas, and cornbread after a hard day of climbing.

Alex likes to do nothing other than climbing, and writing a bio is his nightmare! He grew up in Pacas aka Pacoima. Just like the rest of our staff he’s a big fan of beer and likes to brew his own tasty bubbly beers. When not at the gym you can find Alex camping in the woods, on the beach, or near some boulders.