When I moved to Madison after college during the peak of the pandemic, life felt like an odd in-between. I was working remotely as a health coach — grateful to have a job, but craving connection, movement, and something that lit a fire in me. Something different. Here is how Summit propelled me into the next great phase of my life.
Enter: a climbing Hinge date.
What could’ve ended as just another forgotten moment actually introduced me to something that would shape my identity — climbing. I was hooked. Soon, I was spending my hour-long lunch breaks bouldering, testing out the small edges in my apartment, and mentally mapping out routes while lying in bed. It became more than a hobby — it became me.
In one of those “small world” moments, I got an email from Keith Kubiesa — a name I hadn’t heard in years, one I only associated with my parents. We grew up in the same suburb outside of Chicago, and he’d gotten my contact through a classic mom-network connection: my mom → his mom → him. Keith told me he owned a niche climbing gym in Madison that was doing some rad stuff. Realizing there was a climbing community outside of Boulders, I had to check it out.
Employment at Summit
In early 2021, I walked into Summit Strength & Fitness for the first time, and it instantly felt like home. I quickly inquired about any position he’d consider hiring me for. Thankfully, Patrick needed help with the Youth Climbing Team. Not long after, I started picking up personal training clients as well. In addition to adult clients, I began working with kids in the CLTS (Children’s Long-Term Support) program.
Little did I know that working with CLTS kids would open up an entirely new part of my heart and brain. These were children navigating autism, physical limitations, or sensory sensitivities — and yet, through climbing, they could move, explore, and build confidence in themselves. I saw how play could be therapeutic, how strength could be emotional, and how deeply empowering movement could be when adapted with care. That experience planted the seed that would eventually lead me to pursue my Doctorate in Occupational Therapy.
How Summit Propelled Me with Group Camaraderie
https://trainclimbsummit.com/services/strength-training/Tuesdays quickly became sacred — I lived for the Tuesday night group classes that doubled as my therapy. It was time I set aside to bond outside of work hours… although, in true Summit fashion, some of those hours blurred, as I’d end up coaching classes too. But when Patrick was teaching? That became a shared experience of pain, sweat, and inside jokes. Everyone knew why we were there: to get fit, try hard, and b***h harder.
Then came Monday night Climbing Fitness — another tortuous workout, but one that bred real camaraderie. Usually, I was the one leading the charge, coaching a steady crew of regulars who knew exactly what they were in for: painful pumps, never-ending plank holds, and brutal time on the wall. Those Monday nights introduced me to people I’m still connected with — individuals who share my values: adventure, growth, authenticity. That’s what Summit is — a branch of community that extends far beyond its walls.
Massive Support System
What I found at Summit was more than just a gym. I found a space that met me exactly where I was at, through every evolving chapter. Avid climber? Summit had me. Trail runner? Summit had me. Pregnant workout junkie? Summit had me. A new mom trying to squeeze in movement while keeping a baby alive? Yup, still Summit.
Keith — one of the most laid-back yet deeply knowledgeable humans I know — fostered a culture of curiosity, growth, and support. We trained together, swapped ideas, and let the space evolve organically. I shared countless laughs with Patrick in the tiny back office that didn’t even exist when I first started. Every sweaty session, new program, and client conversation helped shape the kind of trainer — and person — I am today.
How Summit Propelled Me
Summit isn’t the kind of gym where you pop in headphones and clock out. It’s a community. It’s people who see the best in you and push you to show up — even when it’s hard.
Summit welcomed every version of me and gave me space to grow — as a climber, a coach, and a human. And that’s something I’ll always carry with me. It’s something I’ll continue to miss, even though I no longer spend my days clocking in or my Tuesdays sharing in the pain. That’s how Summit propelled me in more ways than one.