Board of Directors
Laura Slavsky | Chair
Laura (she/her) started climbing in 2014, and enjoys climbing on both rock and ice. She moved to Duluth, MN from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan in 2021. Community and mentorship have played a big role in her climbing, and she hopes to be able to return those experiences to others through participating in local climbing organizations such as the MCA. Other ways Laura’s been involved in the climbing community include serving as executive director for a youth climbing non-profit in Michigan, guiding rock and ice climbing as an AMGA single pitch instructor, and she is currently in her third year as a community ambassador for the national climbing non-profit Access Fund.
Susan Hill | Vice Chair
Photo & Bio to come!
Elizabeth Lyons | Secretary
Elizabeth (she/her) started climbing rock in middle school and ice in 2019. She also enjoys climbing mountains, hiking, camping and tying pretty much anything that gets her outdoors. She first climbed in the Wichita Mountain Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma which is her home state. Climbing and outdoor adventuring has taken her to Arkansas, Colorado, Costa Rica, Germany, Liechtenstein, Minnesota, Missouri, New Mexico, Washington, and Utah so far and she is looking to add more adventures.
Elizabeth has a love for the close-knit climbing community in Minnesota and was excited to be elected to the Board of the MCA in spring of 2022. She is passionate about helping others discover all aspects of climbing and wanted to become more involved with the local climbing community in addition to “being on the ground” by helping carry out the mission of the MCA. Her newfound passion for ice climbing has led to opportunities to volunteer for the 2023 Sandstone Ice Climbers Festival. She is also looking forward to becoming a bigger part of the Sandstone Ice Park and being involved in MCA projects related to climbing access and improvement or expansion of current climbing areas.
When she is not climbing, she loves experiencing different cultures and foods, cooking with her partner, hanging out with her non-climbing friends and family, and spending time with her neurotic dog, Emre.
Corwin Diamond | Treasurer
Corwin has always enjoyed climbing. Since his first top rope climb at Galyan's in the 90's, he constantly seeks to scale more vertical feet. As a youth he spent as much of his time at summer camp at the climbing tower as he could. Corwin later worked for that camp and other camps in that organization for over a decade. During that time he gained multiple certifications for guiding climbing and running high ropes courses and running and writing staff training.
When his first college removed their climbing wall, Corwin needed a place to climb regularly, so he started working at a climbing wall in 2008. The climbing wall was a great place to meet great lifelong climbing partners. Friends from the climbing wall have led to outdoor excursions at most of the climbing areas in the Minnesota Guide book, Devil’s Tower, and El Capitan in Yosemite.
Corwin was introduced to simulated ice climbing as a winter camping guide in 2009, and attended his first Sandstone Ice Fest in December 2010, the same weekend the Metrodome collapsed. Hooked on ice climbing, Corwin has gone on many out of state ice climbing trips to Ouray, Mount Lincoln, and Nipigon.
Corwin joined the MCA Board of directors in 2023. He is a Software Engineer by day, but is always looking for excuses to go outside. Whether it is camping or climbing with his wife, skiing with friends, adventuring on motorcycles, hiking the Himalayas or rallying across India in a tuk tuk; Corwin is always up for an adventure.
Jeff Engel | Board Member
Jeff started climbing in 1987 while in college in St Cloud. He first ventured out west to places like Eldo and other front range crags to climb long trad routes, then began sport climbing in the early 90s as sport crags became more common. Jeff brought knowledge back from places like the City of Rocks, America Fork and Rifle to establish new sport climbs in the Midwest. During this time, Jeff started taking on access challenges to open up new areas to climb close to home.
Jeff originally joined the MCA as a board director in the early 2000’s, took a break in 2015, and rejoined the board in 2022. During his first run on the board was involved in several projects including:
Developing a climbers management plan with the City of Sandstone to open up access to Robinson park for rock and ice climbing.
Working with the city of Sandstone to start the Midwest’s first ice park – The Sandstone Ice Park (SIP)
Opening up access to a private bouldering area in Sandstone and architected its purchase and integration into Banning state park
While on the MCA board Jeff received an Access Fund “Sharp Edge” award and an one from the MCA called the “Man on Fire” award. Outside of the MCA, he created a new sport climbing area in Canada. The new sport climbing area and its development was the topic of the movie “Jeff’s World”.
Theresa Ptak | Social Media & Communications
Theresa has been climbing since 2012, having started in a small campus gym at the University of Wisconsin-Stout. She has lived and climbed in Wisconsin, Washington and Colorado, but Minnesota crags have felt the most like home for the last 8 years. She is actively involved in MCA’s community around the Sandstone Quarry and Ice Park, and is looking forward to learning more about Ice Farming in the coming years. As a freelance designer & illustrator, Theresa loves finding ways to use her background and be a creative resource to not only the climbing community, but local parks and land advocacy initiatives as well. She’d love to hash out that brilliant climbing t-shirt design idea that's been sitting in the back of your head. Reach out!
Peter Lenz | Ice Park Manager
Peter has been climbing since 2007 and joined the Board in 2015. He never climbs as often he would like, but Peter takes advantage of all the climbing that Minnesota has to offer from rock to ice. He assists the MCA with its Internet presence as well as the ice farming effort at the Sandstone Ice Park. He reveres the community, personal challenge, exploration, and adventure intrinsic to the endeavor of climbing. When not tied in, Peter loves to immerse himself in Minneapolis’ bike culture, taking on alleycat races, group rides, or gravel road 100 milers. He also enjoys making vegan tacos.
Bryan Ebert | Board Member
Bryan (he/him) started climbing seriously in 2010. He learned to climb here in Minnesota, and the climbing here holds a special place in his heart. He focuses on all forms of rock climbing, including: bouldering, sport climbing, trad climbing, and multi-pitch climbing. He is known to dabble in ice climbing as well. Bryan's favorite local crag is Red Wing, and he is looking forward to coordinating a big rebolting effort in order to improve the safety and usability of that crag. One of his other favorite spots is Palisade Head, because who doesn't love climbing above the ocean? Bryan does some guiding at Taylor's Falls and Sandstone, and loves bringing out and teaching things to new and experienced climbers alike. Bryan really values community, and he is excited to give back to the community that has given him so much already. When not climbing, Bryan works as a psychedelic-assisted psychotherapist at a small clinic near Northeast Minneapolis. Bryan also loves to spend time with his wife and dog, and go canoeing in the Boundary Waters.
Ed Lynse | Board Member
Photo & Bio to come!
Steve McCluskey | Board Member
Steve started rock climbing in 2016 and ice climbing that same season and was hooked. After a few years of borrowing ice gear, he finally had all of his own and gets up to Sandstone as often as he can during ice season. In the last few years he has helped out more and more with farming the ice at Sandstone and joined the MCA in 2023 to be more involved in the decision making process and help out with ice park functions.
Steve is a CNC machinist/programmer by trade and enjoys many other hobbies including music, movies, gadgets, bikes, welding, house projects and hanging out with friends and family.