While our staff handles day to day operations at the gym, the board considers feedback from our staff, discusses our performance as an organization and ways to improve it, and is responsible for setting our goals for the upcoming months and beyond. Additionally, the board is responsible for balancing our budget, allocating funds to programs and projects, and reporting our progress to the public.
Meet Our Board
William Burket, Board Chair
A three year climber and rec league coach, Will has full sended his devotion to State Climb. Pet lover, gamer and outdoor enthusiast, Will left Fairfax County for Culpeper County and has never looked back. Will is an employee for for Fauquier Parks and Rec and runs their day camp programming. Prior to that worked as TaeKwonDo coach and for the Boy Scouts of America. Will’s favorite things about State Climb are the sense of community, challenge and opportunity for personal growth as a climber.
Daniel Mintz, Vice C
hair
Daniel Mintz grew up in Charleston, SC. Living in a flat area, he started climbing later in life as a mechanism for getting over a fear of heights. Mostly climbing in gyms, he has climbed in NC, CA and AK. He moved to the Shenandoah area with his partner Jennifer to start a homestead. He manages a local brewery while spending a lot of his time doing outdoor education and regenerative agriculture. He is also a musician playing several instruments, loves surfing, collecting vinyl, and spending time with his wife and fuzzy children.
Matt Eastham, Board Secretary
Matt started climbing at State Climb because his son, Sawyer, joined the junior comp team back in 2023 - and he hasn’t been able to get him off the wall since! Instead of just watching his son have all the fun, he decided to give it a try and found it to be not just an amazing workout, but also great for his mental wellbeing. Seeing his child prosper in an individual sport, with a team atmosphere, has made him realize what a wonderful place State Climb really is for Culpeper and the surrounding area.
Chris Guzek, Board Treasurer
Chris joined the board in 2024, has a career in Sales and Marketing, is an AI enthusiast, and is a proud father to 4 children, two of whom compete in USAC Region 81.
Dos Allen, Founder
Dos Allen was raised in nearby Madison County near the base of Old Rag Mountain and founded State Climb in 2020. He enjoys routesetting, is a USAC Coach in Region 81, and serves on the USAC DEI Board Committee.
Jameela Abdullahi
Jameela has been hanging out at the gym when all there was to climb was a hangboard, back in 2019. She met Dos at a local brewery, and ever since they have been pals! Her favorite part has been all the friends she’s made thru the years at State Climb, and seeing how much the gym has grown and the community it has built. She is also grateful for all the building she got to do in the beginning, the kilter board didn’t put itself together! She is happy to be a part of the board, where it feels that her love for the gym has come full circle. She is stoked to help it continue to grow, in a different way.
Marissa Lee, Executive Director
State Climb has been my second home for nearly six years. From my very first visit, I was hooked. Throughout the years, I’ve seen similar experiences happen to others and I’ve watched how the community has grown because of the innately positive relationship between rock climbing and personal wellness. — The magic of State Climb is its community! State Climb is a place to prioritize your wellbeing, tackle challenges, and celebrate success. You’re never alone here, every climb comes with encouragement, every setback with patience, and every victory is shared with people who are cheering you on as if it were their own. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve this beautiful community driven space.
Contact Us!
A major component of the work we do is listening to our community and responding to need with action. Let us know about your experience with our organization so that we may better serve you, and our community!