Meet the Exec Board
PRESIDENT - Charlotte
Hi! My name is Charlotte and I am the club’s president this year! I’m a senior, double majoring in English and Spanish. I have been part of the club and team since my freshman year; you might recognize me as one of the social chairs from the past two years. I created the Rock the House shows and helped organize our events, which was so much fun. I am very excited to lead the club and have fun climbing with you all!
VICE PRESIDENT - Ben Norris
Hi, I’m Ben and I will be your vice president this year. I’m a junior from Arlington Heights, Illinois (first ascent squad) studying to be a special education teacher. I have been climbing for a little over 2 years now, and I have learned almost everything I know about climbing from the climbing club and the great people in it. My favorite parts of climbing are the problem solving elements and how they challenge you both mentally and physically, and being able to easily climb with friends whether it be just -for a chill session or working on a project. Let me know if you ever have a question, want to chat or need a belay partner!
SECRETARY - Aditya Viswanathan
Hi, my name is Aditya and I am the current Secretary for the Climbing Club at UIUC. I am a 3rd year studying Economics with a minor in Data Science, with the goal of going into business strategy or consulting. When I came to UIUC from my hometown of San Diego, this club became a home away from home for me. Even though I had never climbed before I joined, and even though I had to push through my fear of heights, the friends I made and the friendly encouragement of my seniors encouraged me to push myself beyond my limits and really grow to enjoy the sport. If you have any questions or just want a chat, feel free to reach out to me. I hope to see you at the wall!
TREASURER - Gabe Fey
Hey, I’m Gabe and I’m the treasurer for the climbing club here at UIUC. I am studying mathematics and getting a minor in computer science and am currently a junior. I’ve been climbing since I came to UIUC and have been loving it and the club since. I love the community that climbing and the club provides and the friendships that I have made thanks to it. You can always find me at all of the club meetings and events that we will be having and always feel free to come say hi or ask me about anything! Looking forward to a great year!
SOCIAL CHAIR - Evan Short
Hi everyone, I’m Evan and I’m one of the social chairs for this year! I’m a junior from Grayslake IL, double-majoring in Psychology and Communication. I’ve loved rock climbing for as long as I can remember, but I only ever knew of it as something for field trips and birthday parties, and never even imagined it as something I could do regularly. I only joined the club in the spring 2025 semester, but I loved it and got really involved really quickly. I found the community to be very welcoming and encouraging to climbers of all skill levels, and I hope to continue to foster that inclusive environment. I can’t wait to see everyone this year, it’s going to be so much fun!
OUTREACH DIRECTORS - Zach Casagrande and Noah Guzman
(Left) Hello, I’m Noah Guzman and I am one half of the outreach chair. I am currently a junior studying neural engineering with a minor in electrical engineering, and I’ve been climbing for two and a half years now. I’ve been part of climbing club and love it because it is a passionate and inspiring community full of people that help you grow as an athlete and person.
(Right) Hey everyone, my name’s Zach Casagrande and I am one of the Outreach Directors. I’m a junior from Illinois studying Systems Engineering and have been part of the club for two years. I enjoy climbing because I always meet new people and make new friends while climbing, and I love being part of the larger climbing community.
TECH CHAIRS - Kelsey Bentrem and
Alison George
Hi, I’m Alison (left) and I’m a co-tech chair along with Kelsey this year. I’m a sophomore from Oak Park Illinois and studying information systems, and I’ve been climbing for over 10 years. I’m passionate about sharing my love for climbing with those around me and building safe and supportive community to do so. If you ever want a catch or to just yap, I’m always down!
Hello! I’m Kelsey (right) , a sophomore studying Animal Sciences from Chicago. I have been climbing since I was young but began consistently going two years ago. I can’t wait to meet new people and gain new climbing skills. I am always happy to talk or belay new people, especially if you want to talk about backpacking!
SAFETY OFFICER - Benedict
Hello climbers, my name is Benedict and I am the current safety officer for the club. I am a Junior studying CS + Linguistics without the faintest plan for the future. I joined climbing club my freshman year and have had a lovely time meeting other climbers through it. I’m always happy to give you a catch and talk about rocks. I look forward to a (hopefully) injury free year.
