The Southeastern Climbers Coalition is incredibly excited to welcome Andrea Hassler as our new Executive Director.  Andrea’s role with the organization will continue to focus on the core mission of the SCC, to preserve climbing for present and future generations.  She will continue to carry out this mission through working with National, State and local land managers to preserve access on public lands; working with private land owners to open and preserve access; and through fundraising to assist in maintaining and preserving climbing access.

Andrea grew up in Maryland and graduated from the University of South Carolina and went on to earn her Master’s degree in Geography from the University of Colorado – Colorado Springs.  Andrea has a wide range of skills in the non-profit sector from grant writing to climbing area management and conservation.  Andrea spent 3 years as the Trails and Outdoors Program Coordinator for the University of Colorado -Colorado Springs where she secured and managed grants totaling more than $125,000. She was on the board of the Pikes Peak Climbers Alliance and served as the Treasurer and Chair of the Stewardship Committee.  Most recently Andrea served as a Conservation Specialist for the Access Fund where she coordinated, planned and implemented nearly 50 strategic climbing conservation projects with land managers from local and federal agencies across the country.

Andrea lives in Chattanooga where she loves to climb, bike and explore nature.

Andrea’s first day with the SCC has already begun and she has hit the trail hard, working on grant proposals, replacing rusty bolts at Sand Rock, and leading Trail Days at Hell’s Kitchen and Boat Rock. She looks forward to meeting the community in upcoming SCC events, including National Trails Day at Denny Cove, Hardware Replacement Days at Sand Rock, and the Summer Psych film series in Chattanooga and Atlanta.