2023 NSS Board of Governors Election Update

The 2023 NSS election is coming soon! Cast your vote and help the society shape the future Board of Governors.
What is the NSS Board of Governors?
The NSS Board of Governors (BoG), consisting of a 12-member Directorate and 5-member Executive Committee, conducts and supervises all business of the Society. The Acts of the Board and other directives, under which the NSS is governed, and the Board operates are maintained in the Board of Governors Manual.
The Board of Governors meets at least three times a year. Members are encouraged to attend all meetings and can do so remotely. The three meetings include a summer meeting during the NSS Convention. The other two meetings are hosted by grottos in various parts of the country in the fall and spring, providing Board members the opportunity to learn about local activities and discuss issues with cavers throughout the country. The variety of venues is important in encouraging as many NSS members as possible to attend and participate in the Board meetings.
Who is running for the BoG?
The following NSS members are running for the BoG or up for reelection. Click “Continue Reading” to review their full platform statements.

Nina Martin
I started caving in the early nineties and immediately fell in love with the exploration, the unknown and how much it pushed me. I also fell in love with the people. I have been part of the Dogwood City Grotto (DCG) since I started caving and consider them my family. Each year, the DCG is proud to host the TAG Fall Cave-In, the second largest caving event in the country. And I have been very proud to be involved with organizing that event since the early nineties as our proceeds provides grants to cavers in support of conservation, exploration, and research. I have held several committee positions in both the DCG and at the TAG Fall Cave-In…Continue Reading

Max Kenngott
I love caves. Their variety, their critters, the way they let me package scrambling in the dirt and doing good solid science into one. I’m running for the board of the NSS because I want to be a part of promoting an active and inclusive caving community. I think that caving has enormous potential to shape attitudes towards the natural world and the sciences for the better, and I want to help the NSS make good on that potential in a sustainable way. In the past decade, I’ve held a variety of research and outdoors leadership positions, working with people of all ages and wildly varying backgrounds…Continue Reading

Pete Johnson
I am running for reelection because I believe underground spaces are unique and non-renewable environments. I believe in the NSS’ mission of conservation, exploration, scientific study, and public education. That mission is best served by a vibrant national society filled with Directors focused on serving the membership and supporting its Officers and dedicated volunteers who are doing the day-to-day work of the society. In the last two years, the NSS has seen a 10% increase in membership, reversing a trend over a decade long. Financially we are as strong as we ever have been. Our accounting is good, and our balance sheet is healthy…Continue Reading

Ben Tobin
I stumbled into caving through an internship giving cave tours at Blanchard Springs Caverns in Arkansas. With little prior experience in caves, how my life completely changed that summer came as a shock. My interest started with a personal excitement of caves, but quickly grew as I felt the warmth of what grew into my caving family. I quickly decided to delve into the world of cave science and studied karst science at Western Kentucky University and became involved with my first Grotto. During graduate school, I was an officer in the Green River Grotto…Continue Reading
What comes next? How do I vote for BoG candidates?
- Review the candidate platforms and reach out to them with any questions.
- NSS members will receive ballots for the 2023 Directors’ Election on Thursday, March 30.
- Cast your vote by completing the ballot, either on paper or electronically. Members may vote for no more than FOUR (4) candidates. Members may vote for fewer than four candidates.
- Completed ballots are due Saturday, April 15.
- Members will be notified of election results on or before Friday, April 21.
- New BoG Directors take office on Monday, June 26.
Please reach out to the Nominating Committee with any questions.