SESSIONS | Climbing + Fitness

Albert Alvarez
GENERAL
MANAGER

Albert is an El Paso native with a passion for rock climbing. He has been working on bringing a climbing gym to El Paso for almost ten year and is excited to finally realize his dream. Albert has over 20 years of climbing experience and was first introduced to the sport at Hueco Tanks as a freshman in college. He fell in love with the sport and has been climbing ever since.

Stephen Kirk
HEAD
ROUTE SETTER

I discovered climbing through a longtime friend in early 2013 and I began routesetting shortly after. From my first time climbing at Reimer's Ranch outside of Austin, I felt an immediate connection to the movement and freedom of the sport. Climbing and the community I found within it have given me more than I could have ever imagined, and routesetting is my way of giving back.

Melissa Ortega
DIRECTOR
of Programming

Melissa Ortega joins Sessions Climbing + Fitness as the Director of Programming. Born and raised in El Paso Texas, she spends most of her free time enjoying the great outdoors. Melissa has attended the University of Texas at El Paso, Texas State University, and Umeå University of Sweden. She earned a Ph.D. in Teaching, Learning, and Culture in 2018 and has spent her career teaching STEM to students in primary grades on through to college students in Women’s Studies. Her research centralizes around Teacher Identities through Mentorship.

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