VTC Curriculum Committee
The curriculum committee must be composed of a minimum of five National Speleological Society (NSS) members and include cavers with expertise in education, advanced, and technical vertical expertise, as well as international caving experience. The current curriculum committee have a combined 150 years of caving experience and have explored caves in over 37 countries, includes university professors and teachers, professional rope access and grotto trainers, along with experienced cave climbers and riggers. The responsibilities of the curriculum committee are to develop VTC educational materials, evaluate their effectiveness and solicit feedback from those interested in seeing improved vertical education in the United States. Members are appointed to the curriculum committee by the VTC Bboard for a term of four years.
Curriculum Committee
Hazel Barton
Hazel has over 30 years of caving experience, including many international expeditions and more than 20 years in education, including several courses in teaching techniques. Hazel is currently the Education Coordinator for the NSS Vertical Section and past Chair of the NSS Safety and Techniques Committee.
Reilly Blackwell
Reilly began caving in 2016 with the Virginia Polytechnic Institute (VPI) cave club and has been an active teacher in its training program. She has worked for the NSS as an intern, has a Society of Professional Rope Access Technicians (SPRAT) Level I certification and has participated in caving expeditions all over the United States and Mexico.
Derek Bristol
Derek is a project caver who specializes in survey, videography, and technical climbing. He has been exploring and mapping a variety of caves from across the United States and internationally since 1989. He has a broad base of technical rope experience including sport, traditional, aid, big wall and ice climbing, as well as mountaineering, canyoneering, and caving.
Emily Davis
Emily has been an active caver since 1969. Her career as a professional educator lasted until she began running her current business, Speleobooks, full time in 1986. Emily has been involved in assisting with National Cave Rescue Commission (NCRC) classes, regional cave rescue organizations, and several cave-based land trusts throughout her caving career.
Tim White
Tim has been an active member of the vertical and cave rescue community for over 30 years, with a broad resume that covers both technical rope rescue and rope access. He currently works as a professional rope rescue and rope access trainer/manager, working with adults in an educational environment.
Andrew Rentzel
Andrew has been caving for about 14 years. He is a SPRAT Level III and regularly utilizes rope access techniques professionally. He also has many years of tree trimming and arborist experience, and is a rock and ice climber as well. Andrew holds a degree in Adventure Education.
Tom Wood
Tom is a NCRC Instructor, cave owner, and SPRAT Evaluator and Level III technician. He splits his time between his Colorado and Kentucky homes. He's caved internationally and has been on several high altitude volcanic glacier cave expeditions.