Executive Director, Co-Founder
Danielle Jablonski
Danielle was introduced to rock climbing in 2005 and in 2006 spearheaded a two and a half month cross-country rock climbing road trip, securing sponsorship from Urban Climber Magazine, prAna, Trango and a host of other industry companies. She returned from the road to take a position as a manager at The Rock Club where she directed marketing and promotions, group programming and fundraising events, taught group and private climbing classes, and helped run climbing competitions and manage staff. A boulderer at heart, she has climbed around the U.S., New Zealand and Australia (where she is from).
When not busy with CRUX, Danielle is a full-time student at Yale studying environmental policy. In her previous lives she co-founded a start-up new media company and studied cello, performing in such locations as the Sydney Opera House and on tour in Estonia, Finland and Russia.
She is passionate about building community and is always excited to help climbers of every level. She’s also passionate about flying helicopters.
CRUX Board
Emily Rinehart (President)
Emily joined CRUX at the beginning of 2010, only a few months after discovering rock climbing for the first time. Thankfully CRUX provided the perfect forum to foster her obsession. Since then, she has tested her limits climbing at the Gunks, NY, Rumney, NH, the New River Gorge, WV, the Adirondack’s, NY, Red Rocks, NV. and Yosemite, CA. As President of the board, Emily’s goal is to give back to the LGBT climbing community – the family she’s gained over the past 3 years. Off the wall, Emily works as a project manager in set design for broadcast television. She joined the CRUX board in 2012.
Michael Lambert (Secretary)
Mike started climbing in 2007 on a whim. Bored with running on treadmills, he found his way to a climbing community at the The Cliffs, in Valhalla, NY. Mike was instantly hooked on bouldering – the freedom of not using a rope, the mental complexity of the problems, and the good natured social aspects of bouldering hit all the right spots. Mike has since gotten into sport lead climbing and trad following as well as top roping. Like much of CRUX, Mike is currently obsessed with the amazingly scenic and challenging routes at the Gunks and Rumney, NH, where CRUX often climbs.
Mike also has a burgeoning interest in teaching and coaching beginner climbers. He has helped coach the CRUX climbing team and presently teaches monthly technique clinics for CRUX members. “I want beginners to feel as welcome as I did the first time I started climbing. It can be intimidating at first, don’t be afraid to ask questions, the veteran members of CRUX are always available to give some pointers.”
When not climbing, Mike is an attorney and has been using his skills to benefit CRUX for several years. He joined the CRUX board in 2012.
Kate Raddock
Kate discovered rock climbing while living in China in 2008-9. Upon her return she attended a CRUX event and was soon helping run events. From there she became a member of the CRUX leadership team and was one of the original board members when CRUX became a non-profit. She heads up CRUX’s climbing education and outdoor programs and is the head coach of the CRUX climbing team.
Bitten by the outdoor climbing bug, she learned to sport climb and soon thereafter began climbing trad. In 2012 she became an AMGA certified single pitch instructor and is a wilderness first responder and LGT. She spends as much time as possible climbing at the Gunks, Rumney and the Adirondacks and has climbed, hiked and camped around the U.S., Australia and New Zealand. She also ice climbs and has plans for mountaineering adventures in the future as well as climbing trips to Yosemite and Thailand.
When not climbing she runs Ometta, offering yoga, Thai yoga massage, Cranial Sacral Therapy and Matrix Energetics. She hopes to bring more yoga, meditation and mind-body awareness to CRUX to help climbers overcome the mental, as well as physical, obstacles of climbing. She says that climbing, like yoga, is a vehicle for personal evolution. Her mission is to create a safe space where people can challenge themselves and expand their comfort zone.
Sara Schwartz
Sara has always wanted to be a rock star and now she can be! Since childhood, she found herself on rock walls at gyms and summer camps, but didn’t know how to really get involved in climbing. It wasn’t until January 2011, that she attended her first CRUX event at Brooklyn Boulders, and it wasn’t long until she was hooked. She was soon a regular at CRUX events and quickly became a regular host. In 2012 she took on the role of Indoor Climbing Director, organizing and training hosts for indoor events around the city. Sara climbs outside whenever possible at the Gunks and Rumney. Sara joined the CRUX Board in 2012.
CRUX Team Members
IT Director
Mike Pittman
Indoor Climbing Committee
Sara Schwartz
Justin King
Outdoor Climbing Committee
Selena Ley
Kate Raddock
Linda Keller
Climbing Education Committee
Kate Raddock
Michael Lambert
Outreach Director
Eric Benzel
Special Events Committee
Anthony Bagnoli
Veronique Bond
