Extraordinary Women Leaders in Speleology (EWLS)

Blanca Aili Usuga was chosen to be featured in the Extraordinary Women Cavers Guidebook and Magazine for along side several other extraordinary women cavers in the 2017 August release of the annual publication. Blanca became a member of South Wales Caving Club in 2010. In 2012 she found two unexplored Colombian caving areas called Mortiñal Cave System and the Valley of Deep Holes containing more than twelve sinkholes and caves. Blanca organized an international expedition in 2015 to explore the sinkholes that resulted in the survey and mapping of nine caves - a total of 2046 meters of virgin cave systems. She has proposed the creation of a nature reserve and speleological park that is under way in each area.  Welcome Blanca and congratulations on becoming an EWC! Photo by Josh Bratchley

Christi Burrell was born in Georgia. She moved to Texas when she was in middle school and went to Texas Lutheran College for two years before transferring to Louisiana State University . She hikes, camps, backpacks, canoes, collects rocks, and works is in the finance department at a Presbyterian Church. Christi has been working in non-profit finance for almost 20 years.  She started caving in 1987 in San Antonio. Christi participated in the Cascade Caverns Restoration Project (2010), Caverns of Sonora restoration project (2005), and manages the Cave Without A Name in Texas. Christi has held offices in the Texas Speleological Association and is a member of the T exas Cave Management Association . Sources: TCMA , The Maverick Bull, Vol. 18, Issue 8, BearFacts Newsletter 2010, The Texas Caver 2005

Cinthia Campos was chosen to be featured in the Extraordinary Women Cavers Guidebook and Magazine for along side several other extraordinary women cavers in the 2017 August release of the annual publication. Cinthia became interested in caving while attending an archaeology class in college. She is a certified HeartSaver and cave mapper/cartographer. Cinthia participates in the Quintana Roo Cave Mapping Project and has discovered 26 subterranean sites. She launched the Tarascan Cave Reconnaissance to survey sites in Michoacán, a region of Mexico that is largely unexplored and even did work to preserve bats in Mexican caves that were threatened by guano poachers. Welcome Cinthia and congratulations on becoming an EWC!

Join Extraordinary Woman Caver and author Marian McConnell and videographer David Socky on Mar 23, 2017 at 8:00 PM CDT. Register now ! Videographer David Socky, and Author Marian McConnell, talk about the Murder Hole cave movie and books as an example of preserving cave history for future generations. This infamous cave in Catawba, Virginia, is now the subject of a book and a movie documentary; both of which educate (and entertain) the public about cave safety, conservation, and lessons learned from the past. Stories, artwork, photographs, and music, as well as more modern tools such as drones, helmet-mounted cameras, and video was used to preserve the history of this significant cave. As McConnell likes to say, "Someday, when my ashes are strewn into the Murder Hole daylight cave, the new owner and visitors will have an 'owner's manual' about this very special place." David has been actively caving since 1974. He has caved throughout the U.S., P

Tanya was chosen to be featured in the Extraordinary Women Cavers Guidebook and Magazine for along side several other extraordinary women cavers in the 2017 August release of the annual publication. Tanya is a Army veteran and traveling Laboratory Technologist. Her favorite aspect of caving is cave projects and especially mapping. Tanya attended the All-Grrs-Cave-Trip (AGCT) and the Northwest Caving Association Regional Event last year and has volunteered for many cave-related projects such as the TX Hydro Geo workshop , Buckaloo Cave survey, and the Spinx Cave clean up. Welcome Tanya! We are so happy you have become an Extraordinary Woman Caver!

Khalvin Cook has been Vice President of EWLS for 5 years! He helps with everything from cooking events meals to managing safety in difficult cave trips. Thank you for being awesome!