PCIA Board of Directors
Josh Norris
PCIA Board Interim President Josh Norris is the Director for the Adventure Leadership Institute at Oregon State University. He has worked for four universities and seven commercial outfitters and founded his own commercial guide service with operations throughout the United States and Mexico. He was instrumental in the creation and establishment of a multifaceted university outdoor education and recreation program at the University of Mississippi, which included the inception of an academic minor and extensive course offerings. Norris has served as an instructor/guide trainer for: wilderness medicine, alpine mountaineering, white-water kayaking, rafting, climbing, challenge course and more. As a part of his work in outdoor education, Norris was also a script writer and technical adviser for a series of instructional climbing videos.
Dr. Andy Fields
Dr. Andy Fields first joined the Board of Directors in September 2010 and has continued to serve ever since. He is also a provider for both the indoor and outdoor certifications. Dr. Fields has been teaching climbing courses since 1998 and has supported the PCIA since its inception. Dr. Fields is currently the Director of University Recreation at Central Washington University in the eastern Cascades. He is also the founding Dean of Health and Human Kinetics for McCall College in Idaho and was the founding Director of Outdoor Education and the Stanford Leadership Institute at Stanford University. His scholarly research involves leadership development among adult learners, primarily in a wilderness context. Dr. Fields holds a doctorate in Educational Administration and Leadership, an M.S. in Adventure-Based Management and Outdoor Leadership, a B.S. in Environmental Recreation, and an A.A. in Liberal Studies. In addition, Dr. Fields holds numerous professional certifications that encompass a wide variety of disciplines. Although he engages and instructs in many outdoor pursuits, he has a special passion and vigor for the climbing profession.
Jen Hopper
PCIA Board Secretary Jen Hopper has been the Manager of UC Riverside’s Outdoor Excursions program since 2000. She spends her time in many areas of the program: obtaining permits and reservations, planning and teaching the curriculum of the Leader Development Program, working with departments and individuals on specialized trips, and researching new and exciting locations for pre-scheduled outdoor adventures. Jen was a soil scientist in her previous career, and brings her interest in the environment and her questioning mind to her programming. In her free time, Jen enjoys climbing, skiing, and canyoneering, but loves just about any outdoor activity.
Todd Vogel
PCIA Emeritus Treasurer and former President Todd Vogel is a mountain guide and outdoor instructor from California’s Eastern Sierra. He owns Outdoor Link, llc, a respected outdoor education firm, Sierra Mountain Center, and is co-owner of Wilson’s Eastside Sports, a mountain sports retailer, in Bishop, CA. He is an AMGA certified rock and alpine guide and has been a ski guide for over twenty five years. He was one of the developers of the AMGA’s Top Rope Site Manager program – a predecessor to the PCIA outdoor program – and works extensively in the institutional climbing field. Lately, he has discovered a love of ultra distance running. Todd was a key member of the AMGA’s accreditation committee from the late 1990’s to the mid 2000’s, helping align that program with modern field and administrative practices. His work for the last ten years has been primarily in outdoor education, focusing on the PCIA Top Rope Climbing Instructor program, outdoor programs for schools, technical trainings for outdoor leaders, and outdoor/wilderness-based organizational development programs for community and business leaders. He is also involved in public land education and stewardship, leading many volunteer groups on trail work and other service projects.
Jon Tierney
Founding and current PCIA Board Member Jon Tierney is an internationally certified IFMGA mountain guide and has helped shaped PCIA curriculum since its inception. Jon began climbing in the mid 70’s in central NH. With a passion for rock, ice and mountaineering his accomplishments as a climber and guide include multiple high altitude peaks, first ascents on rock and ice, and hundreds of multi-pitch rock and alpine routes worldwide. Jon started his outdoor career as a naturalist and interpreter for the National Park Service and then became involved in outdoor education working with universities, youth-at-risk programs, and Outward Bound. In 1984 he co-founded the University of Maine outdoor program which he directed until 2001. UMaine was home to one of the first large climbing gyms in the northeast and became the first university program to undergo accreditation of its climbing program. In the late eighties Jon worked as a backcountry climbing ranger for the park service during the summer and in 1994 he established Acadia Mountain Guides Climbing School. Jon has maintained a second career in emergency medicine and has been a practicing paramedic and wilderness medicine instructor since the mid 80’s as well. Jon believes strongly in the value of education and that clients should be able to have confidence in their instructor’s skills through credentialing. He has been involved in the initiation and development of several educational programs. He continues to synthesize good concepts, challenge usual paradigms, and develop new ideas to raise outdoor leadership and guiding standards. His involvement in the PCIA is the next step in that evolution.
PCIA Programs Committee
All curriculum development, manual revisions and authorship, and advocacy work in the PCIA is first discussed by a panel of volunteers, the Programs Committee. The purpose of this committee is to guide the Programs Director in all major operating decisions concerning the organization and act as a system of checks and balances to maintain the peer-revised nature of the PCIA. Committee members are active course providers with years of experience and history with the PCIA, some of them being original contributors to course development.
Samantha Carney-Sandleback
(She/Her/Hers) began her climbing instruction for the Environment Adventure Center at UW–Eau Claire, she then went on to work for the outdoor program at UW-La Crosse while obtaining her master’s in Recreation Management. She is now the Outdoor Coordinator at UW-Stout. Sam has guided around the Midwest at Devils Lake State Park, Interstate Park, Palisade Head, Shovel Point, Sugar Loaf, Casket Quarry, and Sandstone. She has also guided at Horseshoe Canyon Ranch, AR and in Moab, UT. Sam is a current PCIA Single Pitch Climbing Instructor, Wilderness First Responder, and First Aid/CPR/AED Instructor for the American Red Cross. She is passionate about sharing her love of the outdoors with others and introducing them to the sport of rock climbing.
Todd Grier
Vicente Delgado
(He/Him/His) He received his bachelor’s degree in Business Management from the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire and received his master’s degree in Higher Education and Student Affairs Leadership from the University of Northern Colorado. Vicente has been an active member with the Professional Climbing Instructor Association (PCIA) since January of 2015. Since then he has become a Climbing Wall Instructor Course Provider and is currently pursuing his credentials to be a Single Pitch Climbing Instructor Course Provider. Vicente finds adventure through sport and trad climbing. His favorite areas to climb include the City of Rocks ID, Moab UT, Red Rocks NV, Devils Lake WI, and Palisade Head MN. Outside of climbing he enjoys gravel biking and grilling food for his friends.
Ty Atwater
An original contributor to the Climbing Wall Instructor curriculum, Ty is an expert in the realm of climbing instruction, especially in indoor venues. His work with the PCIA has produced valuable progress in the development of climbing instructors and curricula designed to educate beginner climbers in a college environment. Ty is an Indoor Provider Trainer with the PCIA and oversees education programming at Montana State University in Bozeman.
Todd Vogel
PCIA Board Emeritus, Todd Vogel is a mountain guide and outdoor instructor from California’s Eastern Sierra. He owns Outdoor Link, llc, a respected outdoor education firm, Sierra Mountain Center, and is co-owner of Wilson’s Eastside Sports, a mountain sports retailer, in Bishop, CA. He is an AMGA certified rock and alpine guide and has been a ski guide for over twenty five years. He was one of the developers of the AMGA’s Top Rope Site Manager program – a predecessor to the PCIA outdoor program – and works extensively in the institutional climbing field. Lately, he has discovered a love of ultra distance running. Todd was a key member of the AMGA’s accreditation committee from the late 1990’s to the mid 2000’s, helping align that program with modern field and administrative practices. His work for the last ten years has been primarily in outdoor education, focusing on the PCIA Top Rope Climbing Instructor program, outdoor programs for schools, technical trainings for outdoor leaders, and outdoor/wilderness-based organizational development programs for community and business leaders. He is also involved in public land education and stewardship, leading many volunteer groups on trail work and other service projects.
Kevin Hoffheins
(He/Him/His) Born in Colorado and raised in the Pacific Northwest, I've always loved the adventure of the mountains. Growing up, any of my free time was spent wandering the hills of Southern Oregon trying to find the next source of adventure. When I got to college at Oregon State University, my adventure became about taking others outside. Guiding and leading trips for OSU as well as commercial guide services, I was exposed to many facets of the outdoor industry and the places that that industry can take a person. Fast forward to now, I get my adventure by teaching students in the outdoor program at Texas Tech University about being the next generation of stewards in our outdoor spaces.
Staff
The PCIA is operated by a very small, dedicated team. The majority of work done within the organization is carried out by volunteers and providers who support the mission of the organization.
Al Wiberg
Executive Director
PCIA past Board President Al Wiberg is a very active member of the Midwest climbing community and is passionate about instruction and learning. He serves as the Assistant Director of Operations for Recreation and Sport Operations at the University of WI - Eau Claire and is the owner of Midwest Mountain Guides. He received his master’s degree in Recreation Administration (with an emphasis in Adventure Education) from the University of Wisconsin La Crosse and is a current Single Pitch Course Provider and Indoor Course Provider Trainer for the PCIA. Al helps shape PCIA curriculum as a member of the PCIA Programs Committee, is a member of the Association of Outdoor Recreation Educators (AORE), and a CPR & First Aid Instructor for the American Red Cross. Al currently resides in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin with his wife Michele and two children (Ty and Abby).
Jake Brunnquell
Programs Director
Jake Brunnquell is the Programs Director for the PCIA and an Assistant Director of Recreation at University of Wisconsin – River Falls. He began his climbing career with the PCIA at an outdoor course in 2013 and has been instructing ever since. Jake is a professional climbing guide, Indoor Provider Trainer, and Outdoor Provider. His work involves steering the Programs Committee, authoring manuals, creating curriculum, developing websites and software, revising organizational systems, attending conferences and industry events, and supporting providers in the PCIA. He is motivated to meet the needs of PCIA providers and is committed to strengthening the industry. Jake received his MBA in 2020, and in his free time he enjoys all disciplines of climbing, fishing, paddling, trail running, exercising, and skiing.