Staff

alt BERKELEY IRONWORKS MANAGER

Lyn Barraza
My life as a climbing addict began May 2001 at Berkeley Ironworks. In the ensuing years, my love of climbing has taken me to some of the most magical (Fontainbleau forest) and the most mundane (Indian Rock, Berkeley) climbing areas in the world. Although I enjoy climbing in all its forms, bouldering is my passion and most weekends will find me in Yosemite wandering the valley floor, climbing one of the proud blocs or searching for that next amazing line.

Jeffery Jeffrey has been climbing for thirteen years, throughout western North America and abroad. Jeffrey's formal education is in painting and drawing. When not here at Ironworks Jeffrey is out beach combing, sailing, diving, kayaking or otherwise engaged in numerous outdoor pursuits.
	Michelle Michelle likes cats. She is a vegan. She doesn't own a car. If you cant find her behind the desk at BIW or at REI... good luck. She is probably backpacking the JMT or scuba diving off the coast of Bali or climbing in Rocklands or raving in London or ____________. Your guess is as good as ours.
Nicola No, my name isn’t Russian, my mom is just British. California born and raised, I’ve spent the majority of my life so far as a competitive gymnast. I was super psyched to get to compete as a Cal Bear when I was in college but one week before my first competition my freshman year I blew out my knee. Four surgeries later.. no more gymnastics for me. So, I took up Snowboarding and discovered climbing and that’s how I found myself here. You won’t find me throwing any crazy heel hooks but hey, I do what I can.
	Monica I have lived in the East Bay my whole life and I don't plan on leaving. Why would I leave a place that has climbing, surfing and snowboarding all within an hours drive? I have been with the Touchstone family for many years, I started at Touchstone Concord now known as the DRG, then worked my way to San Jose, then Oakland's Great Western Power Co. and finally to Ironworks. Touchstone is the best company I have ever worked for and I hope that you can experience their amazingness too! See you around!
Justin Justin started climbing when his birth parents left him at the circus at age three. He was taken in by a troop of dancing baboons that performed on the underside of a large cargo net over a pit of crocodiles. The show was a hit but its success came to a screeching halt when audience members started to complain about the safety of the naked toddler amongst the baboons. Now you will regularly find him behind the desk at Berkeley's Ironworks climbing gym. Feel free to ask about his pilgrimage to South Africa for a baboon family reunion. Justin is always eager to share his love for climbing with others so if you'd like some tips or friendly advice don't hesitate to ask, just don't ask him how to rewire your living room.
	Ryan Hailing from the booming metropolis of Sacramento, then swinging through SLO and then San Jose, Ryan has called the East Bay home since 2008 and shows no signs of leaving. Primarily a boulderer, Ryan enjoys all types of climbing as well as the traveling that comes with it. He has crushed in 4 continents, but don't worry about waiting hear about his travels, hang around him for long enough and egomaniacal bragging is sure to follow. Did you know he sent Thriller?
Amanda The last few years have found Amanda diving with Great White sharks in South Africa, sorting conflict diamonds in Sierra Leone, sleeping in broken down buses in Angola, backpacking through Liberia, and teaching children to play violin in Colombia. Somehow this has amounted to a Bachelor's degree from UC Santa Cruz. She still don't know how that worked exactly. No matter how far from California she's wandered, however,Yosemite's granite and the volcanic tablelands of Bishop have never lost their inexplicable pull on her. Neither has the shiny tape nor the priemer workout equiptment of Berkeley Ironworks. Mostly, Amanda says it's the rad people that make this the best place to work in the entire world. She's stoked to be here! So, easy does it.
	Dexter Have you ever met one of those people who know everything about everything? Now try and name one of those people who you actually want to spend time with... yeah. Dexter is a rare breed. With more knowledge in that blonde lock adorned brain of his, Dexter is a guy you want around. After getting his start at Touchstone coaching after school camps, he has since stayed on as a desk staffer and is an AMGA Single Pitch Certified guide. He is a v8 boulderer, a v8 baker, a v12 skier, and a v15 guy.
Chris Chris considers much of who he is a reflection of his travels. Finally, abandoning the road and settling down he returned to school and graduated with a BS in Molecular Biology (minor in Global Poverty) from UC Berkeley in 2011. Raised part time on the north shore of Kaua’i and after spending 3 years working with a traditional healer in Tahiti,Chris plans to attend Graduate school at the University of Hawai’i to pursue a PhD in Ethnobotany. The thrill of danger that rock climbing brings powers him through his academic ventures.Chris dreams of the day that he tops out on the Regular Northwest Face of Half Dome.
	Sam Sam can teach you how to ride a unicycle and perform an effective pulmonary Resucitation. He lusts for cold granite, coking and drums. When he's not getting master points on v11's, he doubles 1 to 6 on campus rungs no problem. A native of this Bay Area, Sam grew up on the houseboats in Sausalito, chantry singing and crushing on serpentinite at the legendary Turtle Rock. He lived in Vancouver, B.C. for 6 years, where he learned to live alongside Canadians, be very quite, and climb cryptic boulders in Squamish. Sam's happy to be back in the Bay Area with fellow creatures and good eats.