Anne-Worley Moelter Named New CEO of Movement

Anne-Worley Moelter was recently named as the new Chief Executive Officer for all Movement gyms—an appointment that took effect immediately. Moelter replaced Jeremy Levitt, who had served as Movement’s CEO since 2022.

“I am honored to take on the CEO role at such a pivotal time for Movement,” Moelter said in a statement. “Having served on the Board for the last five years, I’m eager to roll up my sleeves and work more closely with this incredible team.”

Under Levitt’s two years of leadership, Movement added more than 10 gyms to its footprint, particularly via acquisitions of The Cliffs and Summit facilities. Today, Movement is the largest climbing gym developer in the world, with 30 open gyms (across nine states) and three planned gyms on the way. In speaking with CBJ about the reasons for the CEO change, Moelter was quick to thank Levitt, while also indicating an intent to refocus on the three offerings at the “core” of Movement: climbing, yoga and fitness. “My hope is that as a large organization we can stay true to our strong culture and really provide just outstanding [experiences] for team members, members and guests,” Moelter explained. “So, it was really just a ‘coming back’ to who Movement is.”

This appointment marks Anne-Worley Moelter’s second term as CEO; she held the inaugural role when she and her husband, Mike, built the first Movement gym, a facility in Boulder, in 2009. Two gym builds in Denver followed over the next decade, essentially kicking off a network of Movement gyms that would later merge with Planet Granite and Earth Treks and eventually span the country.

In addition to her work with Movement, Anne-Worley Moelter has been a highly influential figure in the climbing industry for decades. She served as an owner of the American Bouldering Series for a time, and she was USA Climbing’s first Executive Director. She also held positions on the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) board, as well as the Access Fund’s board.

Moelter has long been a proponent of—and an active participant in—the climbing, yoga and fitness trifecta that is part of Movement’s branding. She told CBJ, “When Mike and I opened the first, I’ll call it the ‘legacy’ Movement in Boulder, one of the pillars of what we wanted to do was show that a climbing and fitness facility could actually be that—it could be climbing with true yoga and fitness offerings. And with what we were able to do, we had people join the gym for not just climbing, but for those other areas. As a society, I think we have—over the last couple of decades—really started to take a much more holistic approach to health and well-being that also includes community, and also different disciplines. So, yes, I am a die-hard ‘lifer’ when it comes to climbing, but at the same time, I do yoga every week and it’s very much a part of what I do. I believe our team can continue to bring that back to the forefront.”

In a 2015 interview, speaking about gym ownership and operation, Moelter told CBJ, “At the end of the day, it’s really about having people feel like they belong somewhere.”

Check back next week for an exclusive interview with Moelter about her new CEO role.