ACF started as a wild idea by a bunch of friends, and the planning committee stays true to that spirit. These are by no means the only folks making the wheels turn, but these are the folks most likely to be working year round behind the scenes, and all weekend long from sun up to sun down - if you’ve been to ACF, you know them as the Yellow Shirts.

Who We Are

  • Andrew Choa is looking slightly off to the side while in front of some pine trees. He has short black hair and is wearing sunglasses. He is wearing a Patagonia puffy.

    Andrew Chao

    EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

    He keeps the wheels on the struggle bus! Andrew has been planning ACF since it was first an idea in 2017, but started work in Adaptive Climbing long before that as a President at Peak Potential and advisor to Catalyst Sports and Adaptive Climbing Group.

  • Kristina Ericson is smiling at directly at the camera and holding two beers while in a toga from a past Adaptive Climbers Fest party. She has shoulder-length, dark hair, and one round earring is visible. She has a nose piercing as well.

    Kristina Ericson

    OPERATIONS DIRECTOR

    Want spreadsheets? She’s got ‘em. Need a call made? She’s already dialing. Kristina was first exposed to adaptive sports through her dad, who is a sit skier in California. She’s volunteered all over the adaptive climbing spectrum and currently kicks ass at the Denver Agency for Human Rights and Community Partnerships.

  • Wade Balmer smiles at the camera while on a climb. He is in front of a rock wall and wearing a Black Diamond helmet. He is a killer mustache.

    Wade Balmer

    DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR

    Wade ran a summer camp for kids with disabilities for over a decade and grew up with a muscle disease called dermatomyositis, so he knows what it takes to handle a rowdy bunch like ACFers. Wade served as Chair of the Denver Mayor’s Commission for People with Disabilities and works in Internal Comms at The North Face. He likes to be gently bullied while on the wall.

  • Shane Farver has a closed-mouth smile in front of some trees. He has curly black hair that is parted off to one side and browline glasses. He is wearing a corduroy shirt with a High Fives Foundation logo. He has a killer mustache (not pictured).

    Shane Farver

    COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR

    A climber and overall outdoor enthusiast for most of his adult life, Shane left normie-land in 2018 following a 30-foot climbing gym fall. Now the owner of a sweet set of hardware where most of his L1 vertebra used to be, Shane uses his professional powers of communication to advocate for and bring together the adaptive climbing community.

  • In a closeup, Mo Beck sticks her tongue out at the camera. Her dark hair is pulled back, with a few post-climb tufts sticking out She is waring a North Face athletic shirt.

    Mo Beck

    EDUCATION DIRECTOR

    Mo had been climbing almost a decade before meeting other disabled climbers like her, and she doesn’t think it should have to be that hard for anyone else to feel like they belong. She has taught clinics for para and normie climbers all across the country. Mo is a competitive paraclimber, a semi pro Scotch drinker, and comes up with the themes for every after party in the adaptive climbing world.

  • Jess Schmidt is smiling at the camera with mountains and puffy white clouds in the background. She is wearing a USA climbing jacket and has shoulder-length black hair.

    Jess Schmidt

    VOLUNTEER DIRECTOR

    Jess has been a competitive sit skier and wheelchair tennis athlete - though we think climbing suits her best! She’s competed internationally for USA Climbing and has chaired their paraclimbing committee. At ACF, she gets to use her biggest skill - matching our amazing volunteers to where we need them.

  • Sam Sala smiles at the camera with a snowy background. He has a Rab beanie (toque for our Canadian friends) and has his hand around a Jetboil pot.

    Sam Sala

    SAFETY DIRECTOR

    Originally hailing from Reno, Safety Sam guides ice, rock and will make you laugh the whole time leading the way. Sam uses his guide certs to work as the National Programs Manager for Paradox Sports, an adaptive climbing organization out of Boulder, CO. At ACF he supervises crag and climbing safety, but promises to punch out promptly at 5.

  • Randall Chapman smiles while wearing a cook's apron that says "Randall" on it. He has glasses, a beard, and shoulder-length dark hair.

    Randall Chapman

    FOOD AND BEVERAGE DIRECTOR

    For some folks, the highlight of the festival is the food - and we have Randall and his team to thank for that. We don’t know many people who can oversee feeding 175 people with different dietary needs for three days straight and still be smiling - but that’s our guy! Randall is based in CO where he works with adaptive athletes on the western slope.

  • Ronnie Dickson smiles at the camera in a closeup. He has short dark hair. He has an Under Armor shirt on.

    Ronnie Dickson

    ACF FOUNDER AND SELF-PROCLAIMED MASCOT

  • Brian Beck smiles at the camera while filleting some fish on a cutting board. He has a hat, sunglasses on his hat and a beard. Trees and bush are in the background.

    Brian Beck

    FOOD AND BEVERAGE DIRECTOR