CWA Community Call: Why Climbing Gyms Need the GYMS Act

Congressman Don Beyer is serving his fourth term as the U.S. Representative from Virginia’s 8th District. He serves the Chairman of Congress' Joint Economic Committee, and also serves on the House Committee on Ways and Means, and on the House Committee on Science Space and Technology, where he chairs the Space Subcommittee. He is a Co-Chair of the New Democrat Coalition's Climate Change Task Force. He was the Lieutenant Governor of Virginia from 1990 to 1998, and was Ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein under President Obama.

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Lillian Chao-Quinlan uses her platform as President/CEO of Sportrock Climbing Centers to pursue her passions of lifelong learning, building community, and climbing. Under Lillian’s leadership, Sportrock, one of the oldest climbing gyms in the country, has grown to be an industry leader. Sportrock has featured national level competitions, completed multiple facility expansions, and creates a space for people and organizations to explore their potential, and even recently, hosted the President of the United States.

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Chris leads the operations of Access Fund. He has more than twenty years of experience as an environmental attorney working to protect public lands for outdoor recreation and conservation. He has also traveled the world in pursuit of his passion for climbing and spending time in the mountains. He believes that our experiences outside have the power to ignite in all of us a fire to stand up and protect those places for current and future generations.

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Sasha first began climbing at 6 years old, in 1998. She has won the World Championships for Female Overall, and has placed Silver in the Bouldering World Championships, as well as Bronze in the Duel. She is on the Board of the Women's Sports Foundation and serves as a Global Athlete Ambassador for Right to Play, Up2Us Sports, and the American Alpine Club. She also has served as an Athlete Representative on the board of the International Federation of Sport Climbing. She has been the recipient of multiple prestigious awards.

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Paula leads the CWA with an extensive background in executive leadership of non-profit and membership-driven organizations, particularly in niche, passion-driven industries. Paula’s professional background in education and event management serves as the catalyst for organizational growth and nationally recognized and award-winning events.

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