Technician Profiles

Vertical Access personnel are men and women with expertise in architecture, engineering, nondestructive testing, building conservation, rock climbing, mountaineering, rope access rescue, and first-aid. Vertical Access employees have worked on a variety of historic and modern building materials such as concrete, terra cotta, stone, brick, plaster, sealants, tiles, slate, architectural sheet metal, cast iron, gold leaf, paint, and other architectural finishes and coatings.

Mike Gilbert has been with Vertical Access since 1995 and is Chief Rigger. Mike's educational background is in Biology and Environmental Sciences at Cornell University. In the years that Mike has worked for Vertical Access he has developed a keen understanding of building materials and construction technology. In addition to his on-the-job experience, Mike has taken several courses on masonry restoration and was the primary author of the company's Industrial Rope Access Manual. With over twenty years of experience in rock climbing, Mike brings solid rigging techniques and problem solving skills to the work of Vertical Access.

Kelly Streeter, P.E. received her Bachelors in Science degree in Structural Engineering from Cornell University in 1997 where she began her association with Vertical Access. She received her Masters of Science in Structural Engineering with a concentration on nondestructive evaluation from the University of Colorado in 2002. Prior to graduate school, Kelly was employed as a structural engineer at Robert Silman Associates, P.C. where she worked on several historic structures including Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin and the Yonkers Trolley Barn. Additionally, Kelly has completed the RESTORE preservation program in New York.
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Evan Kopelson has a BA in Archaeology and Classical Civilization from Cornell University and a Master of Science in Historic Preservation from the University of Pennsylvania. Prior to joining Vertical Access, Evan performed laboratory analysis and testing of architectural materials, and monitored several restoration projects with companies including Building Conservation Associates and Architectural Resources Group in San Francisco. Evan has published several papers on varied conservation topics.
Download Evan's full resume.