Meet the Staff

Robert “Bob” Kain

President, Owner

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Robert “Bob” Kain fostered his nearly lifelong adoration of the outdoors in Silicon Valley, where he spent his busy and days as a biotech engineer. Searching for a way to flex both mind and muscle, Bob tried climbing for the first time just a few years ago and was immediately hooked. Soon, he was outdoors on the rocks at Joshua Tree and it was here that Bob, his wife Ranelle, their son Nathan, and friend Michael Rumack began to ponder how to create a climbing gym unlike any other in San Diego. Bob now splits his time as the Chief Engineering Officer at a local San Diego Biotech firm, as the President of Mesa Rim, and as an avid climber. He’s excited to share his passion for creating the most memorable climbing experience around.

Ranelle Kain

Owner

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As a native Californian, Ranelle Kain balanced her love of the outdoors with a passion for well being and exercise. She entered into the Health and Wellness field, where she found exceptional contentment in Chiropractic care. As a Doctor of Chiropractic, Ranelle has been able to help others maintain wellness by treating and educating individuals how to balance mind, body and spirit in their daily lives.  Ranelle’s passion for climbing is not only shared between herself and Bob, but also with their son, who’s quite a natural! She is the drive behind the integration of Mesa Rim Wellness services within the gym, which promises to balance thrill-seekers with overall wellness care and education.

Ian McIntosh

Owner + General Manager + L4 Setter

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A few months after learning the basics of climbing, Ian sold everything he owned, bought a rack, and embarked on an extended stay on the road pursuing climbing and adventure in Yosemite, Bishop, Colorado, Wyoming, Canada, Alaska, and then overseas before settling in Seattle to study Politics and Philosophy at Seattle University. Over the years, his relationship with climbing has evolved to include all of its disciplines with a fervor to continually meet new challenges and develop as a person through climbing and holistic practices.  Currently, in addition to managing Mesa Rim. Ian is co-authoring a guide book to Black Mountain Bouldering and setting National level climbing competitions. Ian joined the Mesa Rim team in its infancy when the rock climbing walls were mere skeletons.

Paul Puey

Programs/Clinics Manager + Instructor

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One of awesome rock climbing instructors, Paul first started rock climbing in 1998 in the now defunct City Rock climbing gym in Emeryville, California. The experience of man vs rock, the great outdoors, and camaraderie of the climbing community changed his perspective on values, life, and career. Dedicated to pursuing a career in the climbing world, Paul became an AMGA certified Climbing Wall and Single Pitch Instructor and WMA certified Wilderness First Responder. His climbing addiction brought him to various parts of the world on varied terrain, from sandstone, granite, limestone, and even radiolarian chert in locations throughout the Western US, Canada, Mexico, and even overseas in Greece, Germany, and Thailand. In addition to managing the instructional programs at Mesa Rim, Paul also guides outdoor rock climbing trips and volunteers with youth on climbing, mountain biking, and snorkeling trips with Outdoor Outreach. His favorite climbing hot spots are the long multipitch trad routes of Yosemite, Tahquitz, and Red Rock.

Aron (a.ron) Couzens

Head Setter + L3 Setter

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Growing up in Yucca Valley (the big town next to Joshua Tree) and spending many a trip scampering up the boulders around his parents yard, Aron is no stranger to rock. He went climbing with his uncle once in high school and was instantly hooked. His obsession with plastic began with raising his bed and putting a small climbing wall underneath, followed by a teacher’s assistant position at his high school where he occasionally set routes for the climbing class. Aron started setting commercially at Rockreation in Orange County in 2000 where the nick name A-ron began. He quickly aspired to head setter for a 6 year position until he finished his Bachelors degree in Industrial Design at the Art Institute of California. He also has set for most southern California competitions including ABS and SCS local comps, ABS and SCS Regionals, CCS Nationals and head setter for the two season C3 Climbing Series. Aron’s favorite climbing locations are Joshua Tree, Black Mt, Bishop, Joe’s Valley, Squamish & Hueco. In pursuit of the best rock climbing, you’ll usually find him in search of new scary highball boulder problems to FA and occasionally placing some gear.

Kati Reszegi

Lead Yoga Instructor

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Coming from a traditional yogic background Kati is a student of Ashtanga Yoga. One of our awesome yoga instructors, she has a deep respect and reverence for yogic tradition and finds the greatest sense of purpose in introducing people to this ancient healing art. Ongoing study with Tim Miller is by far the biggest influence in Kati’s teaching style. Over the past ten years, she has also studied with other great teachers like Dennis Dean, Dominic Corigliano and many others. Her classes are challenging and fun, grounded in intelligent sequencing based on her knowledge of the Ashtanga system. Adjustments are an important and integral part of her classes. With a gentle but firm touch and a deep knowledge of the body, Kati guides students through practice helping them achieve their personal best in yoga.

Alexis Tia Diller

Marketing Manager

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Ever since she was little, there have been three main things driving Alexis: the desire to be creative, the passion for exploring and traveling, and the propensity for being active. Because rock climbing is challenging but also physically creative, it was no surprise that she was hooked the first time she tried it at Lake Dixon. Her favorite place to climb is Joshua Tree but the list is growing for what’s next! Over the years, her passion has not only grown for rock climbing, but also for playing guitar, photography, and traveling around the world (favorite place thus far is the Swiss Alps in Lauterbrunnen with the Cinque Terre in Italy as a very close second).  Alexis received her bachelors in Integrated Marketing Communications so she could become more strategic with her creative work. She is currently working toward her Master’s in Communications at San Diego State University. Mesa Rim is the perfect hub for fostering her love for creative marketing, learning from others, and being active with climbing and yoga.

Parker Onufer

Customer Service Supervisor

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Parker has been climbing for six years and had the unique opportunity to work with Mesa Rim since before it even opened. Prior to climbing, he worked in the construction industry where he was no stranger to hard work and self-motivation. This mentality is something he carries with him in everything he does and climbing is no exception. While working on his senior year at SDSU studying Finance, he remembers getting turned away for a pool attendant job where folding towels may have been the most demanding task of the job. Simultaneously, he realized he wanted nothing to do with the field he studied. He strives to follow a quote from Warren Miller that goes as follows, “My life is better than your vacation”. Although he is passionate about the rock, the climbing season in San Diego also happens to be the skiing season everywhere else. And when the snow falls, you probably won’t find Parker in the office or on a rock.

MacPherson Jagerson

Assistant Manager

Bio Coming Soon!

Ian McIntosh

Owner + General Manager + L4 Setter

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A few months after learning the basics of climbing, Ian sold everything he owned, bought a rack, and embarked on an extended stay on the road pursuing climbing and adventure in Yosemite, Bishop, Colorado, Wyoming, Canada, Alaska, and then overseas before settling in Seattle to study Politics and Philosophy at Seattle University. Over the years, his relationship with climbing has evolved to include all of its disciplines with a fervor to continually meet new challenges and develop as a person through climbing and holistic practices.  Currently, in addition to managing Mesa Rim. Ian is co-authoring a guide book to Black Mountain Bouldering and setting National level climbing competitions. Ian joined the Mesa Rim team in its infancy when the rock climbing walls were mere skeletons.

Aron (a.ron) Couzens

Head Setter + L3 Setter

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Growing up in Yucca Valley (the big town next to Joshua Tree) and spending many a trip scampering up the boulders around his parents yard, Aron is no stranger to rock. He went climbing with his uncle once in high school and was instantly hooked. His obsession with plastic began with raising his bed and putting a small climbing wall underneath, followed by a teacher’s assistant position at his high school where he occasionally set routes for the climbing class. Aron started setting commercially at Rockreation in Orange County in 2000 where the nick name A-ron began. He quickly aspired to head setter for a 6 year position until he finished his Bachelors degree in Industrial Design at the Art Institute of California. He also has set for most southern California competitions including ABS and SCS local comps, ABS and SCS Regionals, CCS Nationals and head setter for the two season C3 Climbing Series. Aron’s favorite climbing locations are Joshua Tree, Black Mt, Bishop, Joe’s Valley, Squamish & Hueco. In pursuit of the best rock climbing, you’ll usually find him in search of new scary highball boulder problems to FA and occasionally placing some gear.

Nicole Grider

Head Coach + L2 Setter

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Hooked on climbing since the first day she tried it at fourteen years old, Nico’s been climbing indoors and outdoors as much as humanly possible. She’s also competed nationally! Setting is special to Nico, because she’s able to transform ideas from her head into an awesome reality, mixing the physical fun of climbing with pure creativity to produce something that everyone can enjoy. Nico tries to challenge herself by setting different styles of routes with her favorites being sustained, technical climbs on slightly overhanging terrain. She also loves to use pinches and crimps, making people use their feet. The best part about setting is watching people have fun and work hard on something that started out in her imagination! She also provides excellent rock climbing training for our kids team at Mesa Rim.

Ilia Talalai

L1 Setter

One of Ilia’s favorite things to do is to experience how the laws of Physics can manipulate his body. With most of his life revolving around a deep obsession with movement, Ilia finds that the most amazing part about climbing is that it forces you to be conscious of a huge percentage of your body just to do simple-looking moves. “It’s like you are a baby again, relearning how to walk,” he shares. Born in Moscow, Russia, Ilia began climbing in 2006 in the Bay Area where he eventually grew up. He moved to San Diego in the fall of 2009 for school, transferring to UCSD for Electrical Engineering. When setting a route or a boulder, Ilia envisions a flowing sequence of varying movement that doesn’t ease up. Don’t be surprised if you find him watching you on one of his routes—he loves to watch people climb, because he learns so much from it. With a desire to inspire people to feel the harmony and joy he feels every time he climbs, Ilia is always open to talk about needed beta or anything climbing related, “You have no idea how excited I would be to share my perspective with you.”

Mike Maiden

Setter

Mike is a part time setter and full time student at Point Loma Nazarene University. He started climbing in 2008 at the age of 19 and quickly got hooked. He began setting at Mesa Rim in 2010 and likes setting crimpy routes that employ balance and creative foot work. When not in the gym, you’ll find Mike in the mountains on long trad routes, pulling hard on difficult sport routes, or occasionally getting suckered into bouldering.

Rosie Bates

Setter

Bio Coming Soon!

Joe Yun

L1 Setter

Bio Coming Soon!

Jon Tsay

Setter

Bio Coming Soon!

Kati Reszegi

Lead Yoga Instructor

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Coming from a traditional yogic background Kati is a student of Ashtanga Yoga. One of our awesome yoga instructors, she has a deep respect and reverence for yogic tradition and finds the greatest sense of purpose in introducing people to this ancient healing art. Ongoing study with Tim Miller is by far the biggest influence in Kati’s teaching style. Over the past ten years, she has also studied with other great teachers like Dennis Dean, Dominic Corigliano and many others. Her classes are challenging and fun, grounded in intelligent sequencing based on her knowledge of the Ashtanga system. Adjustments are an important and integral part of her classes. With a gentle but firm touch and a deep knowledge of the body, Kati guides students through practice helping them achieve their personal best in yoga.

Michelle Hackett

Yoga Instructor

Michelle grew up watching her mother teach dance. It was only when Michelle became interested in pursuing tap dancing that she was advised to begin practicing yoga to improve her posture. After one yoga class taught by Natasha Teran, she was hooked. Michelle pursued her love of yoga, and continued to refine her yoga practice. Through her practice, she was inspired to become a teacher. She has been teaching yoga since 2006 and continues to study Asthanga yoga under Natasha Teran and Tim Miller.

Brent Skeen

Yoga Instructor

Brent’s not committed to any particular school of yoga, nor can he claim any specific lineage, or to have studied under a famous instructor or guru. Instead, Brent has a strong desire to grow freely along any path that resonates with him at the moment. He’s committed to the growth of you, the Student, however you define growth in the present. If you take Brent’s class, he promises to expend as much energy as you do. His classes offer strong asanas. Moreover, he incorporates pranayama, a strong philosophical theme, meditative elements, and perhaps a little chanting/kirtan. As the Buddha himself said, “If you see a Buddha, kill him.” That is, don’t just accept what is offered to you as ‘Truth.’ Try it on for a while, in earnest, see what works for you at this point on your path, and file the rest away for later. As Brent himself says, “I thank all my teachers, particularly the ones I could not recognize as such in my moments of weakness. Namaste.”

Paisley Close

Yoga Instructor

The two things Paisley hears most from students is that they feel safe and supported in her classes and that they can feel the deep love she has when she teaches. Paisley loves the connections made during practice, with our most authentic selves, with our bodies and with each other. She feels it’s a gift to be able to teach full-time, to watch students unfold and to be inspired by seeing their practices evolve and advance. It is what motivates her to be the best teacher I can be. It’s really important for Paisley to do her own yoga homework and come prepared when she teaches—it is this, she believes, as well as her clear intention to hold a supportive space for students that gives them the sense of safety and support. As a result, we all accomplish things on and off the mat that we never thought possible! This is the power of yoga done in “kula” or community and the best part is that we have fun and even look and feel better doing it! As for the details: Paisley started practicing yoga in 1996 and began teaching in 2000 after taking her first teacher’s course with Roger Cole, Ph.D. In 2005, she connected deeply with Anusara yoga and has been dedicated to the style ever since. Hundreds of hours of training in Anusara yoga later, which includes many immersions, therapy trainings and teacher trainings, Paisley is 99% of the way through Anusara’s rigorous certification process. In the meantime, she holds the titles Anusara Inspired and Yoga Alliance E-RYT. Her main teachers have been the founder, John Friend, as well as Noah Mazé and Desiree Rumbaugh.

Check out Paisley’s:

Personal Website
Blog
YouTube Channel

Heidi Hagen

Yoga Instructor

Heidi has been a passionate and dedicated student of Ashtanga Yoga since 2003.  To deepen her study of yoga, Heidi moved to Encinitas, CA from Grand Rapids, MI in 2007 to practice with Tim Miller, a well-respected and long time practitioner and teacher in the community.  She has had the privilege to assist Tim in weekly classes and several Primary Series Teacher Trainings as well as teach at the Ashtanga Yoga Center.  Heidi’s nurturing touch, clear verbal cues, and practical insights gained from daily practice accentuate her natural gifts as a teacher.  Her goal as a yoga instructor is to help her students cultivate a greater awareness of themselves and their intricate relationship to the world around them.

Tamara Schreyer

Yoga Instructor

Tamara Schreyer has been a yoga teacher in San Diego County for over 12 years. She has trained with several well respected yoga teachers, such as: Tim Miller, SRI K. Pattabhi Jois, Richard Freeman, Shiva Rea, Rodney Yee, David Swenson, Doug Swenson, Erick Schiffmann, Bryan Kest, David Life and Sharon Gannon to name a few. She is a registered yoga teacher with the Yoga Alliance and is currently working towards her 500 hour RYT. Tamara also produced a “Yoga Fusion” DVD a couple of years ago that currently sells on Amazon.com. In addition to Tamara’s yoga experience, she has also has a Master’s degree in Psychology and a background in fine art.

Tamara’s style of teaching is lighthearted, versatile and adaptable to all students. Her classes have ranged anywhere from 30 minute guided meditations, 60 minute Vinyasa Flow, two hour heated Ashtanga Yoga, 75 minute Power Vinyasa Yoga, “Shakti” (or energetic yoga) and yoga with live music! However, her true passion is evident while teaching a Vinyasa Flow or an Ashtanga improvisational class.

Tamara’s classes are a fusion of Ashtanga yoga, Vinyasa Flow yoga, and Power Yoga all accompanied by an exciting and entrancing mix of contemporary music. Tamara’s classes are physically challenging; however, a powerful practice that anyone can enjoy with modifications and adjustments. The focal point is exclusively on flow, movement with breath, core strength and balance. Rather than using the same fixed or static postures, she uses continuous movements that flow and prevent the body from locking off the muscles or disrupting the blood flow and increase flexibility.

If you’d like to contact Tamara you can reach her on Facebook here

Melissa Karolides

Yoga Instructor

Melissa finds yoga and rock climbing the perfect combination—moving meditations that create an oasis of calm amidst the stress of life. She took her first yoga class in 1989 while pursuing a master’s degree in exercise physiology, and began teaching meditation while working with Deepak Chopra in 1996. Through the yogic path she experienced tremendous transformation—settling inner storms, lifting lifelong depression, bringing weight balance, and opening to joy and peace of mind.  After completing yoga teacher training in 1998, Melissa informally offered yoga weekend mornings in Joshua Tree at Hidden Valley campground. After a long workweek, or day on the rocks, nothing felt better than a good stretch and dose of mental focus!

Melissa’s yoga teaching style is a meditative blend of vinyasa and yin yoga with focus on connecting deeply to the Self through movement, breath and attention, to reach the “flow” where blissful alignment of desires, dreams, values and talents naturally arises. In her spare time she cooks, travels, skis, backpacks, skates, runs in the park, and writes about life transformation.

Website:  www.createyourdream.net
Blog: www.thetaoofhitchhiking.com
Facebook:  www.facebook.com/CreateYourDream

Paul Puey

Programs/Clinics Manager + Instructor

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One of awesome rock climbing instructors, Paul first started rock climbing in 1998 in the now defunct City Rock climbing gym in Emeryville, California. The experience of man vs rock, the great outdoors, and camaraderie of the climbing community changed his perspective on values, life, and career. Dedicated to pursuing a career in the climbing world, Paul became an AMGA certified Climbing Wall and Single Pitch Instructor and WMA certified Wilderness First Responder. His climbing addiction brought him to various parts of the world on varied terrain, from sandstone, granite, limestone, and even radiolarian chert in locations throughout the Western US, Canada, Mexico, and even overseas in Greece, Germany, and Thailand. In addition to managing the instructional programs at Mesa Rim, Paul also guides outdoor rock climbing trips and volunteers with youth on climbing, mountain biking, and snorkeling trips with Outdoor Outreach. His favorite climbing hot spots are the long multipitch trad routes of Yosemite, Tahquitz, and Red Rock.

Buck Branson

Climbing Technique 103 + Bouldering Clinic Instructor

With over 15 years of climbing under his belt, Buck has been a sponsored climber for almost 6 years and a full time route setter with multiple national and international events under his belt (ABS, TEVA, USCCA, and others). He’s been a personal coach and also worked for multiple junior teams in bouldering, sport climbing, dynoing, and speed climbing disciplines on the national and international world cup level. For a limited time, he even held the world record for dynoing. Most importantly, Buck can instantly speak almost any word backwards!

Allyson Boyd

Boot Camp Instructor

Having grown up all over the world, Allyson’s hobbies have varied as much as the locations she’s lived in. Rock climbing, horseback riding, dance, and amateur boxing are just a few of the sports she participates in. When her friend brought her to a CrossFit class in 2006, she was hooked. Allyson became a CrossFit Certified Instructor in May 2008 and has been teaching ever since. As one of our awesome fitness instructors, her goal is to teach enjoyable and challenging classes to people at every fitness level.

Josh Higgins

Lead Clinic + Crack Climbing Instructor

Josh has been climbing for 11 years, and his experience spans 14 countries on 4 continents. He’s mentored dozens of people, one who now leads 5.13 trad. Josh loves long, hard, free routes, as apparent by his climbing of The Nose in Yosemite in a day. Josh has put up new routes across the world from Vietnam, to the High Sierra, and in his home crags in the San Diego backcountry. His current goals mostly consist of free climbing big walls previously ascended only by use of aid equipment. He’s an excellent addition to our climbing gym.

Nick Norris

Campus Board + Core Clinic Instructor

Nick started climbing in 2000 while attending the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis MD. He spent the first three years climbing on plastic, and was introduced to outdoor bouldering after moving to San Diego in 2003 to attend Basic Underwater Demolition / SEAL training. After three deployments, he successfully constructed two campus boards and three Moon Walls in locations across Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Southern Phillippines in order to keep him sane while away from the United States. The significant time that he spent away from San Diego during deployments enabled Nick to really focus on developing training programs that allowed his climbing fitness to continually progress. He has incorporated aspects of yoga, traditional fitness training, and climbing specific training methods into a comprehensive training philosophy which he continually refines to maximize gains climbing. Above all else, Nick has learned that staying injury free is the most effective method to getting stronger.

Michael Dong

Aid Climbing Class Instructor

Michael Dong has been rock climbing since the mid 70’s, starting along the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. After joining the Army, he learned proper and safer techniques, along with travels to many venues to climb. Over the years, Michael has gained experience in virtually all aspects of climbing, including; Big Wall, Big Mountain, Alpine, Ice, and Soloing. Being a former member of Denali High-Alt SAR (featured on Nat Geo Life and Death on Denali), having spoken at International Alpinist Meetings, along with 20+yrs as a radiographer and combat medic, adds a depth of authenticity to Michael’s instruction and stories. Currently residing in San Diego, he still keeps a plot of land in Joshua Tree for climbing outings.

Roberto Gutierrez

Climbing Instructor: Technique 101 and 102

Roberto began his climbing career eight years ago in Seattle Washington, when he got a job at the Vertical World climbing gym. He began to climb with anyone who would take him and the first few people he met would shape his outlook on the sport. They were highly motivated and VERY strong climbers who relied on technique to climb at their limit. Roberto is not a strong climber, but has sound technique and unlimited amounts of “TRY HARD”. At Vertical World, Roberto was surrounded by elite climbing coaches and youth climbers. One year after beginning to climb Roberto moved to San Diego, CA and has been involved in in the San Diego climbing community ever since. Prior to climbing, he was a kayaking guide and instructor, and for a couple of years a professional kayak-er. Roberto has nearly 15 years of experience in outdoor instruction and coaching. No matter his pursuit Roberto finds the greatest enjoyment in sharing the experience with others.

Ben Willams

Boot Camp Instructor

Coming Soon!