Meet The Team
Shara Zaia
Co-Founder
Shara Zaia is a first generation Assyrian-American climber, educator, and community organizer based in Denver, CO. After nearly a decade of teaching and advocating for underserved children in early childhood classrooms, she is focusing her advocacy efforts on the climbing community. Access to the sport has given her a chance to challenge her deep rooted imposter syndrome and wrestle with her own fears. Most importantly, climbing has given her a community. Her dream is to pair her passions for education and the outdoors in an effort to break down barriers within the sport so that everyone can experience the mental, physical, and emotional benefits. She works full time at the American Alpine Club as the Manager of Climb United where she works with affinity leaders across the country to continue to shift the culture of climbing towards inclusivity and joy. She is supported by SCARPA, Arc’teryx Colorado, and Wild Country.
Menesha Mannapperuma
Co-Founder
Menesha is a Sri Lankan-American climber who has been climbing for around ten years. She primarily boulders and started climbing in California followed by a move to Colorado five years ago. Professionally, she’s a former lawyer turned product manager. Menesha is excited to see climbing diversify and thinks it’s important to build a space for climbers of color to connect. When she first started climbing, it was hard for her to find and climb with other people of color. As a co-founder of Cruxing in Color, she hopes to make it easier and less intimidating for other climbers of color to access climbing culture and opportunities.
Michael Reitmeyer
Gear Manager
Michael (aka doozer) is a Korean American adoptee, engineer, and climber of roughly 8 years. He attended his first meetup in 2021 and instantly found the community he was seeking. He manages the Gear Donation/Request system, volunteers at meetups and clinics, and aspires to earn his SPI (single pitch instructor) certification to give back to the community through climbing education. Years ago, Michael discovered acceptance and warmth from the community while trying to understand his own identity as an adoptee and person of color. Today, and in the future, he hopes new climbers receive the same.
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Conner Jhoon Choi (he/him)
Outdoor Event Coordinator
Volunteer Coordinator
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Ileana Jiménez (she/ella)
My name is Conner (he/him), I have been climbing since 2018 and involved with Cruxing in Color since 2022. Growing up in one of the country's most diverse areas, moving to the Front Range was a bit of a culture shock. Finding community through Cruxing in Color has made all the difference for me here and I hope to give that same gift to others. Combining the sport I love with a mission of promoting access and diversity feels very special to me in this role. Professionally I am a painter/muralist and enjoy working on community focused art projects. When I'm not climbing you can find me painting, hiking, or playing soccer with friends.
Ileana Jiménez (she/ella) is a Puerto Rican climber born and bred in the heart of Mississippi, climbing on and off since 2018. Growing up as a Puerto Rican in the Deep South presented a unique set of hurdles. Caught between worlds, she found herself straddling the delicate line of cultural duality. Amidst the cacophony of conflicting identities, Ileana found solace and sanctuary in the vertical world of climbing after moving to Colorado to pursue a career in law. Here, she discovered a community where shared lived experiences transcended boundaries of race and ethnicity. She found Cruxing in Color after searching for affinity groups in the Front Range, finally attended her first CIC meetup and clinics in 2024, and quickly became more involved. It was within this diverse tapestry of climbers of color that Ileana found her true home—a place where her unique background was not only celebrated but also served as a source of empowerment. With each foothold gained and each obstacle overcome, Ileana wishes to blaze a trail for future generations of climbers, proving that the greatest summits are not found solely in the mountains but within ourselves and the communities that lift us higher. In recognizing the power of community, Ileana hopes to help other people of color feel empowered and welcomed in the world of climbing through her role as Volunteer Coordinator.