Meet The Team
Once upon a time, Andrew recognized a need for a new style of climbing gym in Vancouver, BC. Having a genuine love for the climbing community, Andrew worked for 3 years developing the first Hive location in the heart of Vancouver and he is proud to share the realization of his vision for community-focused climbing & fitness facilities in BC and Manitoba.
Climbing, Education, and Community are the central pillars of everything Andrew brings to the Hive and he works constantly to take the Hive Climbing Community to new heights. The success of The Hive Vancouver led Andrew to open The Hive North Shore and, a couple years later, The Hive Surrey. These new locations brought an opportunity for the community to embrace a more well rounded level of fitness, and Andrew brought this pillar of Health and Wellness into the foundations of The Hive.
Keeping up with the growing climbing scene, Andrew is excited about the sharing the joys of climbing with as many people as possible, with new locations in Winnipeg and Port Coquitlam expanding access to climbing into new communities. Andrew can be found at all levels of the business – as the ‘King Worker Bee’ he happily helps out with setting, keeps up with the community, and continually strives to offer a 5 Star Experience to everyone who walks through our doors.
Growing up in rural Ontario, Shayne spent much of his youth outside, dabbling in climbing here and there but mostly his spare time was spent paddling a canoe. Years later and after a few trips to The Boiler Room in Kingston, the fire was lit and climbing became a new passion.
Shayne is thrilled to be a part of the awesome community that continues to grow in and around The Hive. He aims to provide the ultimate experience for everyone that walks through our doors.
“Climbing has given me so much; I love being able to give back, and share the joys of climbing with so many. Contributing to the growth of a positive community around climbing is something I can work proudly towards everyday.” When he’s not directing operations, you’re likely to find Shayne enjoying the rock outdoors, in Squamish or abroad.
Andreas has been climbing since he was 9 and loves the open minded community it attracts. He strives to keep fit climbing and loves being in an environment where he can teach and continually learn.
Moving to BC from Ontario in 2012, Andreas has many years of setting experience and loves the creativity that comes with it, as well as the freedom it allows him to pursue his hobbies – like reclaimed woodworking, hiking and travelling. Andreas is excited to use his talents and experience Canada-wide, setting for competitions across the country. We are proud to call him our Head Setter and always look forward to seeing the fresh and fun movements he brings to The Hive’s canvas. He hopes you are enjoying his teamwork and the ever changing problems; “See you on the wall!”
Routesetting questions or interested in setting? Email andreas@hiveclimbing.com
A friendly face and a kind soul, Naz is always looking to make life better for the Hive’s staff. He can be found bonding with the Hive team over travel and food, but also enjoys time with friends and family.
The team is still working on getting Naz climbing, so if you happen to catch him in climbing shoes, please cheer him on!
It is no coincidence Brad’s climbing career started with the doors opening at The Hive. He wandered in, looking for a new hobby, and within no time he was hooked. Over the last three years Brad has been fueling his addiction within, and on, The Hive’s walls and is excited to be part of the team.
Years spent working in the restaurant industry have given him a boatload of experience in dynamic work environments, focusing on guest experience. A competitive curler in Ontario and British Columbia, his experiences both on and off the ice have taught him the importance of teamwork, training and community within a recreation environment. All these traits, paired with his love of climbing and all things outdoors, makes him amped to share what The Hive has to offer with climbers and non-climbers alike.
Kate grew up climbing trees in Ontario, but through highschool and college was all about the arts and had little interest in sports or fitness beyond riding her longboard around the city. When she found climbing after college, everything changed! In one adventure to BC, like so many other settlers here, nowhere else really felt like home.
Having worked in customer service with The Hive since year 1, Kate enjoys combining her creative background with her passion for The Hive, the community, and our sport, managing the events, marketing & communications for the business.
When she’s not thinking about the climbing community, you can find Kate touching rocks (on ropes or boulders), looking for a delicious snack, or gleefully riding her motorcycle.
Kate is an uninvited guest on these lands and grateful to share space in these beautiful, unceded traditional and ancestral territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations who have continued to inhabit and steward these lands every day since time immemorial.
More about Shabana ccoming soon!
Don’t let Revy’s fun, bright personality fool you – he means business when it comes to building community through awesome events! More on Revy coming soon…
Raquel, originally from Spain, moved to Canada in 2021 to work as photographer, and from the beginning, she fell in love with the country, the landscapes, wildlife and yes! the weather! Always an adventurous soul, after fourteen years she switched from horses to the climbing wall around four years ago. While working as a route-setter in the Hive’s North Shore location, Raquel now joins the communications team as a digital marketing specialist.
She is almost 90% of the time climbing in the gym, but if she’s not there, you can find Raquel biking on the North Shore, climbing in Squamish, or exploring around, always with her camera.
Despite growing up in the Canadian Rocky Mountains, Genny Mae didn’t start climbing until 2013, shortly before moving to Vancouver. She spent her summers growing up in southern Alberta camping, and hiking to look for dinosaur bones in remote areas. Genny Mae loves climbing for the community and the intuitive movement (or at least it feels intuitive to her gymnast-cheerleader brain). Plus, it’s the perfect, seasonally complimentary sport to skiing — mountain play all year-round!
Anyone who’s spent time with this ball of energy and fun knows that Genny Mae is passionate about being zero/low waste and loves baking & creating things in the kitchen as much as she loves being active.
North Shore Team
Kallie is one of our gems at North Shore. She started out as a regular customer and climber – we loved her so much that we took her in! Easy going and organized, she is our go-to girl. She also is a talented Opera singer and is a music major!
Judith (“You-dit”) began practicing yoga over a decade ago and was initially drawn to yoga for the combination of stretching and strengthening. As she developed a regular practice, she was able to move past just the physical practice and feel at home in her body, falling in love with everything else yoga has to offer. She completed her 200hr with Karma Teachers Yoga in 2020, teaching through a variety of styles and mediums since. You can expect a slower paced class with intentional sequencing, breathwork, and a focus on building a positive relationship to self.
Outside of her work and practice, Judith is an avid cook, mountain biker, and climber. She loves snacks, fermentation, and kitchen dance parties. You can find her on instagram @yoga.with.udit.
Sarah has always been a climber at heart. As a kid she would climb everything; door frames, trees, and she was the monkey bar master. So it’s no surprise she found rock climbing and immediately got hooked.
Starting out as a desk staff back in 2016, she immersed herself in the community and quickly started to teach intro courses and help out the education team. She immediately fell in love with teaching and coaching and has continued to do so ever since.
After moving to Australia in 2019, she worked at a rope gym and got more teaching experience in the sport climbing department, which translated well into her next role which was Head Instructor of our Hive Heights location. You can now find Sarah at our North Shore location, continuing to expand and manage the education department there.
When not working, you can find her climbing outside in Squamish, paddleboarding, or hiking. Pretty much anything outside related!
Surrey Team
One of the few elusive born-&-raised Vancouverites, Kyle worked as a cook and a chef for almost 10 years before climbing invaded his life via Hive Surrey manager, Brad. Kyle wound up as our Vancouver manager after nearly a year of prodding by a couple of Hive folks, and a well timed job opening. He manages The Hive North Shore with enthusiasm, and we couldn’t be happier to have him on board!
The community resonates with Kyle because “I’m an obsessive kind of person who likes to dive head-first into my interests, similar to much of the climbing community. The sense of adventure provided by climbing is a huge part of why I love it so much”.
While he started off bouldering, Kyle has found his true love in trad climbing and has made some big progress in the last couple of years. Climbing granite cracks, cooking dinner for friends or enjoying a game of snooker, we love Kyle for his all-in, positive attitude.
With a strong desire to be physically active, Alvin started his climbing journey in 2016, on the Hive’s 4th birthday. He quickly developed an affinity towards the sport. To him, it felt like an analogy to life: Anything can work. The climbing space is versatile and supportive, but it’s ultimately between the climber and the wall.
Prior to working at the Hive, Alvin spent his evenings working with the Royal Canadian Air Cadet Program. There, he developed his leadership and coordination skillset, as well as his passion for youth development. Eventually, Alvin took a break from youth programming to finish his Education Degree at SFU. In the back of his mind, he knew he would eventually return to a instructional capacity, but only if it was a topic he’s passionate about. When the position of Education Coordinator arose, Alvin hopped onto the unique opportunity to join his education and developmental experiences with his passion for climbing.
You can easily find Alvin by following the laughter that echos through the gym or at a local brewery.
Vancouver & Heights Team
One of our favourite resident Brits, Ed is always a friendly face at Hive Vancouver!
Ed started bouldering indoors in London, in 2013. It wasn’t long before he started climbing outdoors, and this new passion sparked the move to Canada, to be closer to Squamish. Lucky for us Ed stayed in Vancouver, but he still spends as much time as possible in Squamish and lately has developed a keen interest in rope climbing.
Ed’s love of our community revolves around the diversity of people united by a shared passion for climbing. “Where else can you find paramedics, accountants, lawyers, students, brought together by a shared love of lifelong learning — it’s an incredible connector, really special.”
We couldn’t agree more!
Jonny hails from the United Kingdom and moved to Vancouver in 2015. He was first introduced to the Hive through a surprise membership gifted by his wife, and from that point on he never left. Although he enjoyed climbing in the UK, the passionate community and positive vibes that surround the Hive left an immediate and lasting impression, leading Jonny to join the team in 2018.
He has since held various management positions within The Hive, including as Education Coordinator and now as Assistant General Manager for the Vancouver bouldering gym. In this role he supports Ed with all aspects of day-to-day operations at our flagship location, and manages our brilliant customer service team.
Jonny is always on hand to connect with the community and sneak out onto the mats to say ‘hi’ to everyone whenever possible. Plus, he’s always looking for music recommendations and has a Lord of the Rings quote ready for any occasion.
Tony made his way out west after cutting his teeth in Toronto’s gyms and Niagara Glen and quickly made himself indispensable at Heights. Tony’s passion for climbing and community is truly infectious! Outside the gym Tony is a keen foodie and nutrition nerd – recipe recommendations always welcome.
Winnipeg Team
Kori was born in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba (west of Winnipeg) and grew up on a small grain farm. As Manitoba has very few rocks and very little elevation to gain, Kori’s first exposure to climbing revolved around childhood summer trips to Squamish while visiting Vancouver-based family.
When Kori moved to Winnipeg to attend the University of Manitoba in 2007, his interest in climbing grew while going to a small bouldering wall regularly at the university, run by the University of Manitoba Climbing Club.
After completing his Bachelor of Kinesiology in 2012, he turned his sights to outdoor climbing and began to make 3 hour weekend trips to Northwestern Ontario for sport and trad climbing. Along with his experience and expertise, Kori has a passion for movement and climbing and has been a mainstay in the Winnipeg climbing community for years.
After managing all climbing services at the U of M, Kori decided it was time to make his dream of opening a modern and spacious bouldering gym a reality. Through his partnership with The Hive owner and ‘King Worker Bee’ Andrew Coffey, Kori is thrilled to be bringing The Hive to Winnipeg and can’t wait to grow the community and get more people climbing!
Solana is the shining face chasing kidlets around the gym, always happy to share climbing tips and a smile. We’re thrilled to have her guiding our education department to new heights!
Say hi in the gym, or drop her a line with your questions about courses and youth programs.
PoCO Team
Braeden has lived in the Greater Vancouver area for his entire life. Soon after completing his Bachelor of Music in the Secondary Education Stream at UBC, He was introduced to bouldering by a friend, and first experienced the sport at Hive Vancouver. Instantly he was in love with climbing and has been climbing ever since.
Curious about route setting, he applied to work for the Hive with the hopes of joining the soon to be Hive Surrey team. Coming from a supervisor and beer manager role at a high end liquor store, Braeden had extensive experience in delivering high standards of customer experience. Braeden was a member of the Hive because of the incredible community within it as well as the love of the sport, and wanted to bring his knowledge and skill set to help further develop a thriving climbing community.
You can often find Braeden climbing at the Surrey or Poco locations, clad in tank and tights. When he is not climbing or working, Braeden spends a lot of time as a Live Streamer, or enjoying the outdoors via snowboarding or skateboarding.
Coaches
Jeff comes to the Hive with an extensive background in high performance sport, more specifically Gymnastics. He was a very active coach producing several national champions while coaching both in private clubs as well as the Head Coach for the UBC Men and Women’s varsity gymnastics teams. In addition to coaching, he was a also a Lecturer in the School of Human Kinetics, teaching Movement Education, Developmental Gymnastics and Qualitative Analysis of Individual Sport and Dance.
While working at UBC Jeff was exposed to climbing on a small outdoor wall and was immediately hooked. He has now been involved in climbing for over 27 years and is known mostly for his work developing new climbs in Squamish where he and his friend Glenn Payan developed hundreds of new climbs for others to enjoy. Doing things in the opposite direction to most, he then gravitated towards indoor climbing and it wasn’t long before he was approached to work with competitive climbers, specifically in the areas of strength and flexibility development.
Jeff is very excited to be working with the Hive in the development of a happy, healthy, holistic competitive climbing program where all participants feel supported in striving to achieve their goals.
The lovely Leor coaches our competitive youth team, The Swarm from a place of vast experience in climbing and sport, both as an athlete and a coach. If you see this friendly face amongst a swarm of activity, give her a wave!
When she’s not leading our competitive youth in the gym, Leor can be found adventuring outdoors, enjoying all that beautiful BC has to offer.
Ricardo came to us a years ago from Brazil and quickly became an important part of our team across many different departments. We’re so stoked that he joined our crew!
Head Route-Setters
Christopher Taylor
Head Route-Setter
Kieran Alton- Tracy
Head route-setter
Kieran started climbing in a dingy toprope gym with taped traverses over 15 years ago. Occasionally setting for a membership when they were a teenager in Alberta, They now set for a living here at the hive.
When they aren’t constructing elaborate jib stacks and patching the walls, they are usually found at their shed which hosts a training wall filled with as many tiny crimps as they could possibly fit.
Jack Lam
Head route-setter
More about Jack coming soon!
Careers
Join Our Team!
Interested in joining our team? We are growing, and would like to hear from you!
The Hive is all about community, climbing & fitness, education, and health & wellness. We are constantly striving to offer a 5 star experience to each and every guest and member!
Being part of The Hive team requires an excellent work ethic and a positive attitude towards teamwork, cooperation, and communication. Every member of The Hive’s team must demonstrate a commitment to going the extra mile in making The Hive the best climbing gym ever. With the support of great people, working together in exceptional facilities, The Hive aims to redefine what it means to be a World Class Climbing Gym.