Nadav Minkin

Nadav Minkin

Owner

Nadav grew up in Southern Maine and spent most of his free time enjoying the great outdoors. He developed a passion for climbing while hiking mountains and adventuring off trail to explore cliff faces. Nadav went on to college at Johnson and Wales University in Providence, RI where he earned a bachelors degree in Business management and there met Lary Norin, his gym business partner. After 14 years in business Nadav still loves going to work everyday and is dedicated to growing the climbing industry through the expansion of Rock Spot Climbing throughout New England and beyond. You can email him at Nadav{at}Rockspotclimbing.com.

Lary Norin

Lary Norin

Owner

Born in the Chicago area, Lary’s family soon moved to the Northern, NY suburbs where he grew up in Rockland County. Lary developed his passion for climbing in an area with the word “rock” in the name, but where climbing was largely prohibited. In the early 90’s, Lary’s “home” climbing spot was the Shawangunks, A.K.A. the “Gunks” where he climbed many classic routes. It was around this time that he first tried ice climbing in the Catskills and found a second love. Lary attended Johnson and Wales University where he earned a degree in Food Service Management and met his gym business partner, Nadav. While owning Rock Spot Climbing he’s had the chance to climb in classic spots including Squamish, all over CO, and Red River Gorge. If Lary isn’t working in one of our gyms, you can bet he’s out salt water fishing (he’s been known on occasion to bring in fresh caught sushi to share!) He resides in Cumberland with wife Stephanie, and their son Fredy. Lary can be contacted at Lary{at}Rockspotclimbing.com.

Kat Waterhouse

Kat Waterhouse

Director of Marketing & Special Events

The child of a climber father, and an acrophobic mother (fear of heights), luckily Kat inherited the monkey gene and has been climbing almost since she could walk. As an event designer for many years, Kat retained a passion for climbing in her spare time, never dreaming that a career existed that could combine her love of events, promotions and climbing. In 2007, Kat joined Rock Spot Climbing (then RI Rock Gym) as part time floor staff and came on board full time in 2009. Kat is currently the Director of Marketing and Special Events here at Rock Spot Climbing. She organizes all our competitions, member events, signage, newsletters, and of course is the social media “queen!” Originally from Scarborough, Maine, Kat now resides in Warwick, RI with her dog Abby and Partner in Crime Vic. Kat bounces between all of our locations, but you can email her at K.waterhouse{at}Rockspotclimbing.com.

Mike (Mig) Dominguez

Mike (Mig) Dominguez

Head Route Setter/ Director of Wall Design

Born and raised in Campbell – CA, Mike (A.K.A Mig) began his illustrious climbing career at the wee age of 13, after tagging along on a last-minute camping trip to Yosemite. Although Mike didn’t climb during that first trip, he knew that when he returned home to the Bay area he wanted to learn how. With John Long’s “How to Rock Climb” in tow, Mike began developing his skills on local crags and boulders near his home. Since then, Mike has climbed at many of America’s hotspots, including Yosemite, Red Rocks, Heuco, and Bishop.

Although he’s experienced in traditional and sport climbing, Mike’s true passion lies with bouldering. He enjoys its simplicity and how it reconnects him to the excitement he felt all those years ago when he was first learning.

In 1994 an indoor climbing gym sprung up near his house. It was here that Mike learned to set routes and he did so for two years before heading off to college in Lake Tahoe. In Tahoe, Mike welcomed many more climbing opportunities, including the chance to teach multiple climbing courses with the late “great” Dan Osman.

After college, life lead Mike to the east coast, where he had a hand in building a climbing gym. With climbing, design, and route setting skills he came to Rock Spot in 2010, where he currently works as Head Setter and Director of Wall Design. Most recently he has had an integral part in designing some of the walls for the new gyms in Peace Dale, RI and South Boston, MA. Email Mig at M.Dominguez{at}Rockspotclimbing.com

Kelsey Moore

Kelsey Moore

Director of Youth Programs

After completing her Bachelor of Science in Recreation and Leisure Studies, Kelsey set off on a series of adventures following her love for teaching, youth, and the outdoors. Her adventures took her from leading backpacking and canoeing trips, to directing rope courses, and finally to working with youth at Rock Spot Climbing. Kelsey joined the Rock Spot crew in 2011 as a Youth Program Staff and is now honored to be their Director of Youth Programs. These days you can find her leading outdoor trips with our summer camps, training with Team Rock Spot (our competitive team) in the gym, or teaching after school classes. Kelsey can be contacted at K.Moore{at}Rockspotclimbing.com.

Brandon Willsie

Brandon Willsie

Regional Operations Manager- Rhode Island

Brandon started climbing after being introduced to the sport in high school. He’s had the opportunity to hang out on Cathedral Ledge in New Hampshire, boulder at Horse Pen’s 40 in Alabama and get in touch with some sandstone and basalt in Utah and Alabama. No matter how far away he travels, this Exeter native will always call Rhode Island home and he’s excited to help open a location in his own backyard. Brandon loves climbing for the vertical movement and spending time off the ground. He also love sharing stories and knowledge of the sport with other climbers new and old. As the Regional Operations Manager of the Peace Dale and Lincoln, RI locations he works with his team of employees to best serve the climbing community in Rhode Island.

Nicole Terrien

Nicole Terrien

Regional Operations Manager- Boston Area

Nicole started climbing while an undergraduate at UConn, and immediately became obsessed. She started working at Rhode Island Rock Gym in 2005 as floor staff, then full-time as a Retail Manager after graduation. In 2010 she left for New York City, where she learned that corporate life was not the thing for her. She rejoined the Rock Spot team in early 2012, as Operations Manager for the Boston location. She has climbed in the Gunks, Red River Gorge, Hueco Tanks, Horse Pens 40, and Lincoln Woods. In the gym she mostly boulders, but when she gets outside loves to climb sport. Nicole can be reached at N.terrien{at}Rockspotclimbing.com.

Paul Heppner

Paul Heppner

Retail Manager/Buyer
Born and raised in Reno, NV, Paul began climbing at a young age at Donner Summit above Truckee, CA. Since then he has climbed all over including Bishop, CA, Joe’s Valley, UT, Boulder, CO, Ireland and France. Though he prefers sport climbing, he also boulders and trad climbs. Paul worked for over 5 years in Reno’s climbing industry, which includes the world’s tallest climbing wall, until the itch for adventure brought him to Rock Spot Climbing.
Paul loves teaching climbing above all else. From his position on the board of directors for a regional, non-profit climbing team to his provider status for the Climbing Wall Association’s instructor course, Paul truly believes that the climbing community is the best place for a person to grow socially, professionally and as an individual.

Contact Paul with retail related questions and inquiries. For special orders, you may contact Paul, or your location gym to order directly through the retail manager there. Paul can be reached at p.heppner{at}rockspotclimbing.com.