Extraordinary Women Leaders in Speleology (EWLS)

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!

Tabitha Rossman has been with us for 2 years! She manages the Instagram Photography blog, creates numerous community relationships, shares her awesome photography, and writes articles. We appreciate all you do lady!

Happy 1st year Karla Zajac as our first co-editor for Extraordinary Women Cavers, the EWLS annual magazine. You have been a tremendous help and great asset to the team! http://www.ewls.org/karla-zajac.html

By Tabitha Rossman , Edited by Lisa Bauman & Karla Zajac Karla Zajac and I attended the NCRC Orientation to Cave Rescue South Western Region, a weekend course that took place in the southwestern region in Carlsbad, New Mexico this year. This Introductory level program consists of classroom and field work showing all the phases of cave rescue. It involves underground environment, extrication techniques, communication systems, medical management, and organization and management of cave rescue. The basic orientation course material is presented for students that typically include cavers, emergency services personnel and rescue management personnel. The second day of the class is designed for both cave explorers who have the desire to learn the basics of rescues and personnel who want to expand the knowledge as well as the experiences that are involved in cave rescues. For the orientation you do not need to have any prior caving experience however it does help. “I feel like eve...

"There is a clear need in the speleology community to open safe spaces for women to not only participate in the speleology community but also to grow into the leadership role models.” Adriana F. Sánchez Cultural Resources Manager, President of Xanvil Culture and Ecology, and 2015 EWC #ScienceWomen #WLeadership #ewls www.ewls.org

“My mom taught me … I like caving because there is a chance I could see bats!" Rebekah Bauman Caving since 3 years old and 2013 EWC #WLeadership #ewls www.ewls.org

Montreal (Quebec) at TOHU March 23 to May 8, 2016 After its great impact at the UNESCO House in Paris in January 2015, the exhibit highlighting the importance of these geological riches in the culture and history of Haiti is now invited to Montreal (Quebec) at TOHU, from March 23 to May 8, 2016. This multimedia exhibit, presented by the Association Hommes des Cavernes , displays works by three cave photographers: EWLS Social Media Reporter Carole Devillers, Jean-François Fabriol, and Olivier Testa of the http://www.Cavesofhaiti.org team. It was put together by curator and caver Stéphanie Jagou, of the same team. Come and discover it! #speleology #womencavers #ewls #cavesofhaiti SOURCES Carole Devillers, EWLS Social Media Reporter tohu.ca grottesdhaiti.org  cavesofhaiti.org facebook.com/CavesofHaiti

“When I cave, I feel a connection to the Creator. The beauty leaves me speechless. The awesomeness of it all is breathtaking.” Carole Devillers Expedition Photographer Caves of Haiti Project EWLS News Reporter & 2014 EWC #WLeadership #ewls www.ewls.org

Over the years EWLS has found a many women leaders who have worked to contribute in cave archaeology. Read our top 10 below! Anges Milowka (23 December 1981 – 27 February 2011) was an Australian technical diver, underwater photographer, author, and cave explorer. She gained international recognition for penetrating deeper than previous explorers into cave systems across Australia and Florida, and as a public speaker and author on the subjects of diving and maritime archaeology. Read more here . Elen Feuerriegel was featured in our annual 2015 publication this April as an Extraordinary Woman Caver (EWC) and was one of the 6 women scientists who recovered and cataloged than 1200 hominid fossil elements in the South African Rising Star Cave. Congrats Elen. Read more here . Florence Guillot, speleologist for the past thirty years, is co-responsible for the speleological expedition IOWA 2014 in Papua-New Guinea. Guillot has a PhD in History and is an archaeologist and...

Montreal (Quebec) at TOHU March 23 to May 8, 2016 After its great impact at the UNESCO House in Paris in January 2015, the exhibit highlighting the importance of these geological riches in the culture and history of Haiti is now invited to Montreal (Quebec) at TOHU, from March 23 to May 8, 2016. This multimedia exhibit, presented by the Association Hommes des Cavernes , displays works by three cave photographers: EWLS Social Media Reporter Carole Devillers, Jean-François Fabriol, and Olivier Testa of the http://www.Cavesofhaiti.org team. It was put together by curator and caver Stéphanie Jagou, of the same team. Come and discover it! #womencavers #speleology #ewls #cavesofhaiti SOURCES Carole Devillers, EWLS Social Media Reporter tohu.ca grottesdhaiti.org cavesofhaiti.org facebook.com/CavesofHaiti

Tabitha Rossmass has been the Photography Blog Director for one year at EWLS. She has been a strong advocate for the EWLS mission. “She is in inspiration really” said Lisa Bauman, EWLS President. “Tabitha operates more like a advocate than a blogger. She is so dependable and wonderful and she truly cares about people.” Tabitha has donated countless hours to inspire people on social media but she also contributes on the field. In 2015 she volunteered as a trip leader at the EWLS annual event, arriving days early to help with the event preparation. She finds contributors for EWC in the annual magazine and coordinates with local caving and community organizations as a volunteer. “I am working to build a community of women cave photographers and create a place where we can learn from each other.” Tabitha said. Tabitha graduated from New Mexico State University (NMSU) in 2014 with a BS in Agriculture with an emphasis in Wildlife Science and have over three years of experience with mon...

Devillers is an internationally published photographer, writer, and caver with several articles in the National Geographic magazine, and photos in Reuters News and various books. In 2009 she co-created an on-going long-term project of exploration, promotion, and conservation of the caves of Haiti, which became a touring exhibit in 2014 right after she was featured in the Women Cavers Guidebook & Magazine. Carole is passionate, dedicated, and experienced and her contributions to EWLS make her a valuable asset on our team. We are glad to have you Carole! Thank you for supporting women in caving. #womencavers #ewls #speleology Read more about Carole here: ewls.org

Besides women cavers who are vets, EWLS would like to thank all the men out there that support women cavers and especially veterans! Khalvin Cook is a Navy veteran and retired Navy Seal. He works to support women cavers and serves as Vice President of EWLS. Khalvin was introduced to organized caving in 2010 when he met Lisa our president. He has been a major force of support for our organization and we are very happy to have him! Thank you Khalvin for your service. For those men who also support women cavers, use the hashtag #WeLoveWomenCavers and thank you all veterans for your service! Read more about Khalvin here: http://www.ewls.org/khalvin-cook-1.html

Sánchez is an archaeologist and co-director of the Mensabak Archaeological Project (MAP) in the SouthernLacandon Rainforest of Chiapas, Mexico. She is member of the Jaguar Speleological Group in Mexico, the British Columbia Speleological Federation, and the Northern British Columbia Caving Club. She serves on the Board of Directors with EscaparARTE and the President and founding member of Xanvil, a Mexican organization dedicated to the promotion of Mayan culture and the conservation of the natural environment of Mesoamerica. We are glad to have you Adriana! Thank you for supporting women in caving! #womencavers #ScienceWomen #ewls #speleology Read more about Adriana here: ewls.org

Here for this week, here is a photo I took on a cave trip to the Lava Beds National Monument in Catacombs Cave. #ewls #womencavers

This year four EWC's are attending AGCT! Read more about them online or in our annual publication ... http://www.ewls.org/ewls-publication.html

This amazing woman is a cave photographer as well as a contributing photographer for National Geographic. She goes on many adventure photography expeditions. Her work is represented in the book “Women photographers at National Geographic”. She is also an author as well as a photographer, explorer, adventurer, caver and a lecturer. She has 35 year experience in the field and is also a Social Media Reporter for EWLS. SOURCES adventurephotoexpeditions.com ewls.org/carole-devillers.html

Adriana is being featured as an Extraordinary Woman Caver (EWC) in this year's annual publication. She is a dedicated archeologist and works as the President/Founding Member of Xanvil Culture and Ecology, the Co-Director of Mensabak Archaeology Project, and our own EWLS Regional Coordinator for Mexico and Canada. In 2006 she was recognized with the Sol Award for Professional Merit and Women of the Year award by the National Chamber of Business Women of Mexico and the National Journalists Organization. We are glad to have you Adriana. You deserve it! To keep updated on the annual event and publication distribution visit our Facebook AGCT 2015 Event Page . #ewls #speleology #womencavers Photo credit: Ian Hollingshead

Tabitha is being featured as an Extraordinary Woman Caver (EWC) in this year's annual publication that launches in April. Tabitha is the EWLS Photography Blogger. Her posts run weekly on Instagram where she shares photography techniques and especially how photography can impact conservation issues. We are so glad to have you Tabitha. Congrats! #ewls #womencaver #speleology Stay up to date about our annual event and publication distribution at the EWLS 2015 Facebook Event page . Photo Credit: Amanda Labrado

Carole Devillers, professional photographer, caver, author and EWLS' Social Media Reporter has her work featured beside the work of Olivier Testa and Jean-François Fabriol in the fantastic Caves of Haiti exhibit shown at UNESCO.  From 5 to 21 January 2015 will be held the exhibition "Caves of Haiti, between imaginary and Realities" organized by the Association Cavemen. This exhibition is the result of 5 years of research carried out under the auspices of the Haitian National Commission for Cooperation with UNESCO, by cavers Carole Devillers, Jean-François Fabriol and Olivier Testa, will be present at the UNESCO House in Paris. This is the first time outside the borders of Haiti, that will be highlighted these geological wealth and their heritage significance in the culture and the history of Haiti. Through a series of photographs of cavers and multimedia content, the exhibition invites visitors to travel in 6 departments of Haiti and to discover the beauties ...