Board of Directors
I grew up in northeastern Ohio and for the first twenty years of my life thought that “climbing” was synonymous with “mountain climbing.” It wasn’t until a “Try Climb” night at Miami University (Ohio) that I’d ever roped up. Since that night more than six years ago, I’ve been absolutely hooked. After graduating with a biology and environmental science degree and then driving erratically across the country, I briefly moved back to Youngstown to work at an engineering firm to do environmental site assessments. I still made it down to the RRG every weekend but when the people at Valvoline started recognizing me and telling me I drive too much, I realized it was time for a move. So in May 2005, I packed up and headed south to the promised land of Lexington, Kentucky. Thanks to friends in the area, the unemployed phase of my time here lasted for only the first three months. Despite myself, I’ve worked at the same firm doing GIS (geographic information systems) work since August 2005.
I’ve been fortunate with climbing. I survived the first several years of climbing truly despite myself: I learned to lead in the gym and thought it would translate seamlessly to the outdoors. The truth was much more terrifying when, on my road-trip in 2004, I found myself in a squeeze chimney, thirty feet above a sharp ledge where my last piece was placed, feet skating through the crux of Epinephrine. I survived but wiser for the wear. I then went on to climb briefly throughout the west, eventually returning to the east for family, friends, and work. Since moving back, I’ve stuck mostly to the RRG and southern bouldering, occasionally heading west to meet up with friends on their trips in Indian Creek and Squamish.
I spend most every weekend climbing. During the weeks, I try to balance playing soccer three nights a week, getting into my friends’ climbing gym when I can, working overtime, volunteering for the RRGCC, KAMP, GISCorps, and theAccess Fund, teaching myself programming languages, and reading whatever I bought this week.. Usually, I fail at that balancing act 
Bentley Brackett resides in Knoxville TN and works on bringing the climbing community together one climber at a time as the advertising manager at Dead Point Magazine and handles inside sales for Joshua Tree Products. His wife Jessica is a physical therapist and there dog Bella can generally be found licking small children at the crag. Bentley can be found at the Red just about any weekend during the fall, winter and spring but spends summers at the lake “resting” from the climbing season.
Having been involved in the outdoor industry for many years, Bentley brings an essential marketing element to the RRGCC. In addition to his work with Rocktoberfest, he has put hours of work in maintaining anchors, bolts and draws at both the Red River Gorge and the Obed in TN.
Bentley looks forward to the final payment of the PMRP and the next property acquisition the RRGCC will make.
I am from Florence, KY and has been climbing for the past 11 years. After enjoying the fruits of other members work; I am now volunteering to do my part for the climbing community. I love the outdoors and as such I am an avid backpacker and like to road bike. Along with my sister, I climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in 2009. When not working or climbing or hiking, I love to travel all around the world. My recent trips were to Iceland and Peru. Having fun requires that I work, and I work for Duke Energy as their Portfolio Risk Director. Of course to have such a fun job meant I had to earn my right to be where I am. I did so by getting an education in Economics, Finance and Accounting. I look forward to using these skills within the RRGCC as their new treasurer.
Josephine discovered climbing in March of 2006. In May of that same year, she took her first trip to Red River Gorge and, as luck would have it, the RRGCC was holding their Red River Reunion that very weekend. After a great day of climbing, and enjoying a fantastic party compliments of the RRGCC & Miguel’s, Josephine was hooked! Over the next year, she visited ten different states and one Canadian Provence to climb. While the traditional climbing in North Carolina was exciting, and the southern bouldering was also fun, nothing quite compared to the fun of single-pitch sport climbing. In her second year of climbing, Josephine put over 25,000 miles on her car driving down from Dayton, Ohio to the Red River Gorge each weekend. She decided that it was time to move – closer to Red River Gorge. While great climbing can be found in many places over the country, Red River Gorge offers a unique and closely-knit climbing community. It was her desire to become part of this community that led her to work as a staff member for the RRGCC. After serving as staff for three years, Josephine is excited to join the Board of Directors.
Rick Bost is from Knoxville, Tennessee and has been climbing at the Red River Gorge since 1999. Working in a manufacturing plant during the week, he makes time to travel to climb most weekends. He can be found at the Red most weekend during the spring and fall and farther south bouldering during the winter. He also climbs at home crags of the Obed Wild and Scenic River as much as possible.
He has been active in climbing preservation for several years. While working with the East Tennessee Climbers Coaliation, the ETCC has made significant improvements in the climber/landowner relationships. The ETCC has reduced climber impact by trail definition and replaced many anchors. In 2006, the ETCC purchased one of the trails to a climbing area. This purchase helps maintain access to one of the most frequented climbing areas at the Obed.
Rick is excited to work with the RRGCC, continuing the ongoing activities to preserve and improve the climbing areas in and around the Red River Gorge. He brings plenty of energy to the Board and, as he works with and coordinates with other climbing organizations, he’s helping to bring new outlooks and perspectives to the RRGCC.
Mike Driskell was born in Louisville on a farm, and started climbing in 1994 through the Boy Scouts of America. He started teaching climbing and high ropes courses in 1996, and worked for the BSA until 2001. Through the years, he took several trips out west to climb and go backpacking in the Rockies, before moving to the Red from 2002 to 2004.
He met his wife when he moved back to Louisville to be a “house window washer” for the Kentucky Center for the Arts. When he got laid off in 2007, he started Driskell Home Repair and has been self employed since.
As a way to embrace his suck, he became involved with the RRGCC about 4 years ago, to give back to the community and put his stamp on history. He has since become heavily involved in trail building and repair, organizing and leading at least a couple of trail days each year. Recently, he took on the position of Treasurer.
She’s the strong, silent-type so we don’t have much on her. We’ll get some details from her soon, though.