CHICAGO CHAPTER
The Chicago Chapter of the AAC is committed to fostering an inclusive, diverse, and equitable community where individuals of all backgrounds can explore and excel in rock climbing. We aim to create a welcoming space that celebrates people of all races, genders, abilities, and identities. Through outreach, education, and community-building, we strive to break down barriers to access, providing resources and support to climbers from underrepresented groups. Our mission is to ensure that everyone, regardless of their starting point, feels empowered to engage in climbing, find their strength, and contribute to a positive and diverse climbing culture.
If you or your organization is interested in partnering with the AAC’s Chicago Chapter, email us at: chicagochapter@americanalpineclub.org. And follow our antics on Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/aac_chi/.
Meet Your Chapter Leaders
Matthew Deihl, Chapter Chair
Starting in a YMCA in Florida, Matt started climbing in a place people don’t climb. He started bouldering outside at Appalachian State in 2001, sport climbing in RRG with the Notre Dame Climbing Club in 2003, and has since climbed across the US and four other countries. Matt moved to Chicago in 2012 and has been learning what it is to be a Midwest climber, particularly being a weekend warrior at Devil’s Lake. He began helping Myung with the Chicago Chapter in 2021. – I believe that rock climbing is not just a sport or a hobby, but it can also be a therapy. This lifestyle has brought me a lot of peace, whether it comes from a high from getting that ascent of a month-long project or providing an escape from the lows of everything else. During the pandemic, I won a mug in a raffle sponsored by the AAC’s Chicago Chapter. The peace that rock climbing has brought me led me to ask Myung Jin-Oh who handed me that mug, “Is there anything I can do to help what you’re doing here?” As the current chair of the Chicago Chapter, I hope that others can ask me that same question, and I want to respond ‘Yes’ every time.
Ivy Leung, Co-Chair of Outreach and Community Engagement
Ivy began climbing in 2016, never imagining she would ever lead climb. Now, she is a certified Single Pitch Instructor and a trad climber. Having never participated in sports growing up, discovering climbing as an adult has been transformative. It is her active meditation, helping her focus on her body and mind. Climbing truly is for everyone! Ivy is passionate about making the climbing community more inclusive, especially for womxn and people of color, and strives to be a role model for those who might feel out of place. Additionally, Ivy is committed to breaking barriers and making climbing accessible to all. She volunteers and teaches at various community events, sharing her passion and knowledge. For Ivy, climbing is not just a sport; it’s a way to build confidence, foster community, and inspire others.
Matt Moy, Co-Chair of JEDI Initiatives, Education, and Communications
Matt Moy discovered his passion for climbing in 2008 while living in Uganda, and he hasn’t looked back since. Over the years, his dedication to the sport has grown stronger, leading him to become a certified Single Pitch Instructor. Matt focuses on creating safe and inclusive outdoor experiences, especially for marginalized communities, empowering more people to connect with nature responsibly. A passionate adventurer, Matt has climbed all over the world, sharing his love for the sport while inspiring others to push their boundaries. Known for his warm and welcoming personality, Matt is celebrated by his friends for giving the best hugs. He’s also a steadfast advocate for hydration, never missing an opportunity to remind everyone of the importance of drinking water. Through his climbing, teaching, and everyday interactions, Matt embodies a deep commitment to fostering community, inclusivity, and well-being.
Past Notable Members
Myung Jin-Oh, Co-Founder and Chair Emeritus (2018-2024)
Myung has lived all over Illinois (lots of flatland and cornfields), but for the most part still calls Chicago home. Working in Chicago generally means having limited access to outdoor climbing, so Myung joined the swarms of people that would head down to Red River Gorge, Kentucky on the weekends and would spend the weekdays working or going to school. During the weekdays, he spent most of his time in various Chicagoland climbing gyms, notably VE, First Ascent, Brooklyn Boulders, and Movement. While now a more seasoned climber, Myung loves to travel to climbing destinations, and try all different styles of climbing… (except maybe deep water soloing). Most recently, he has been focusing his energy on developing the climbing community to be more diverse and inclusive. He believes that all folks from any particular “walk of life” should be able to experience climbing. Rather than “reinventing the wheel”, he has focused on partnerships with various communities in order to uplift and be a resource while maintaining a semblance of personal climbing objectives.
Savannah Buik, Co-Founder and Chair (2013-2018)
Savannah co-founded the chapter with Myung and Avi serving as its first Chapter Chair. Coming from the deep south, she felt the climbing community was underdeveloped, and wanted everyone to have the same experience and opportunities she felt the AAC provided her. Hence the Chicago Chapter was born. While she served as Chapter chair, she also interned at the AAC where she advocated for the Chicago Chapter and the work that was being developed. Savannah was in a climbing accident at Devil’s Lake, Wisconsin and perished. Prior to her passing, the AAC asked her why she climbs, she wrote:
"I divert to climbing to help me experience ALL emotions: happiness, anger, frustration, sadness, excitement... the emotions combine to make me feel whole again. Climbing is my way of feeling."