Meet your 2025-2026 Officer Team of the Aggie Grotto. Below, you can find the officers and the positions they hold, the organizations they contribute to, their academic inclinations, and their experience with caving. Contact information is listed for each officer, but please refer to the cavetamu@gmail.com email for general inquiries.
Kyle Welborn
President
Class of 2026, Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering
NSS #72444 74087, TCMA member, CFRP volunteer
Howdy! I am the president of the Aggie Grotto for the 2025-2026 school year. My caving journey began during my first semester of college in the fall of 2022. That first Whirlpool trip remains one of my all-time favorites. Within just 48 hours, I discovered I had access to real caving, went on my first trip, and met people who would become some of my closest friends throughout college.
A couple of years later, I found myself mentoring new cavers through their first underground experiences. Seeing the same passion in their eyes that I felt on that first trip is what inspired me to step into the role of president.
Over the years, I’ve explored many forms of caving, recreational trips, digs, surveys, and restoration projects, and I’ve enjoyed every one. I encourage every caver to try them all. Of the types I have tried, digging has become my favorite so far, though working with the CFRP is a close second.
This year, I hope to deepen our connections within the Texas caving community and help introduce more of our members to fellow cavers across the state. Most importantly, I want to focus on teaching and supporting newer members because I believe the most important job of the president is to help new cavers safely gain experience, build confidence, and discover what they enjoy most about caving.
After I graduate in chemical engineering this year and most likely find a job in Houston, I will continue my caving journey by joining the Greater Houston Grotto and hopefully meet many new and amazing cavers.
Feel free to reach out if you are interested in joining, and I would love to answer any questions or concerns you may have about the grotto with the following contact information.
Phone: (281) 900-7629 | Email: kylwel@tamu.edu
Nicolas Vain
Vice President
Class of 2028, Chemistry Major
NSS# 74389, TCMA member, CFRP volunteer
Howdy! I’m Nicolas and I’m the Vice President of the Aggie Grotto for 2025-2026. I started caving the summer before my first semester of college and I plan to cave for the rest of my life! I first got into caving through Inner Space Caverns where I’m a tour guide when not in school. My first time crawling in a cave was when I went on an employee wild cave trip where we went to the areas of the cave that the public doesn’t get to see.
In my first year of caving I’ve been able to go on 35 cave trips. Most of them were recreational but as I’ve gotten more interested in caving I began to go on other types of trips like digs, survey, and CFRP. Currently digs are my favorite because of the possibility of finding something new and the teamwork it takes to get there. My favorite cave as of now is Lake Cave in New Mexico where I got the chance to do some formation repair with Mike Mansur.
My goals for being the grotto’s vice president is to help us strengthen our connections with other grottos and to get to know other cavers in Texas. I think it’s really important we do this because our grotto is in a college town. So most of our members are young and first-time cavers so it’s important that we are able to guide them into being safe and responsible cavers.
Phone: (512) 630 – 5982 | Email: nicolasvain808@gmail.com
Jakob Denton
Secretary
Class of 2024, Major: Rangeland Wildlife & Fisheries Management
NSS #72586 , TCMA member, CFRP volunteer
Howdy, I’m Jakob and I’m the Secretary for 2025-2026! I have a BS in Rangeland Wildlife & Fisheries Management and currently work at Texas A&M as a lab manager/technician for a soil science research lab.
I started caving with the Aggie Grotto about 4 years ago, with my first wild caving trip being Whirlpool Cave. Leading up to this trip, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I was overflowing with curiosity. Whirlpool ended up blowing my mind, and expectations. Caving had sunk its hooks in me deep and will probably never let go.
Since then, I’ve had the opportunity to lead trips, vertically train, hold the positions of Vice President and Quartermaster, and make some great friends. In this time, I’ve had the pleasure of introducing many people to caving by taking them on their first wild caving trips. For me, this is the most rewarding part of being involved in the Grotto. Being able to take new cavers underground for the first time and witness their excitement and curiosity is incredibly satisfying. I’m looking forward to the coming year of caving, thanks and Gig’Em!
Phone: (361)-815-6400 | Email: jakobd91201@gmail.com
Benjamin Walker
Treasurer
Class of 2026,Finance
NSS #74826
Howdy I’m Ben and I am the Treasurer for 2025-2026! I have a BS in Accounting and am currently pursuing a MS in Finance. I started caving with the grotto 3 years ago and my first and favorite cave was Deep Cave. I have since been caving throughout the southern US (and a bit in Spain!) with bat related trips being my favorites. This grotto has given me some of my best friendships, my favorite experiences, and so many opportunities to grow. Outside of caving I love going to the movies just about every weekend, adding to my ever expanding lego collection, and playing music.
This will be my second year as Treasurer and with that it is my responsibility to approve purchases, keep records, and ensure the financial wellbeing of the grotto. I can’t wait to see more caves and hope I’m able to introduce more people to this incredible activity.
Phone: | Email:
Russell Oplinger
Safety Officer
Class of 2023, Bachelor of Science in Nuclear Engineering
NSS #73920
I got my start in caving in my senior year as an undergrad nuclear engineering student at Texas A&M with the Aggie Grotto. Since then, I have kept with caving through my first years of graduate studies and fully intend on pursuing it post-graduation wherever I end up. Since my induction into caving in the crawls and squeezes of Whirlpool cave, I have been caving throughout Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and TAG with survey trips, cave restoration, and scientific trips being my favorites. I have mentored many up and coming cavers through their first cave trips and in the arts of vertical caving and rope work and I look forward to continuing the mentorship and bringing the light of caving to the next generation.
As safety officer, it is my charge to maintain the safety culture of the grotto to reflect the current best practices in the caving community. I ensure the vertical training and standard operating procedures are being implemented to the best of our ability and that our cavers abide by our safety standards.
Phone: | Email:
Kayla Boggess
Quarter Master
Class of 2026, Bachelor of Science in Geology
NSS, TCMA Member
Rocks and the natural world have always fascinated me, and I finally got hooked on caving during my first trip with the Aggie Grotto in the Fall 2024 semester, exploring the crawls and fossils of Whirlpool Cave. That trip opened the door to the incredible caving experiences the Grotto offers and helped me connect with the amazing community of cavers around me.
Caving offers a rare opportunity to witness geological formations and fossils that are hidden deep below the surface—features that reveal the area’s rich and intriguing geological history. I hope every Aggie Grotto member gets to experience the beauty and wonder of this unique underground world.
As one of this year’s Quartermasters, I’m committed to keeping the grotto’s gear clean, organized, and easily accessible. We will carefully track all equipment and ensure everything is in safe, working condition before each trip, so that every caver can explore with confidence and safety.
Phone: | Email:
Cassidy Whitehead
Quartermaster
Class of 2025, Bachelor of Science in Molecular and Cell Biology
NSS #75192, TCMA Member
Howdy! I am one of the Quartermasters for the 2025-2026 school year. I was introduced to caving at the beginning of my senior year with, like many Aggie cavers, my first Whirlpool trip. From there I was hooked, and what began as something fun to try with my last year of undergrad became a passion that I needed to dive further into. Being a part of the Aggie Grotto has been an experience like no other and has allowed me to travel all over the state and beyond to explore new caves, get involved in cave digs, learn about cave ecology and geology, and connect with my fellow Aggie Cavers as well as the larger caving community. I can’t wait to keep learning about caving and continue to show others how amazing the underground world is!
Phone: | Email:
Kevin Guerra
Outreach Officer
Class of 2028, Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
NSS#75521, TCMA Member
Howdy! I am the outreach officer for the Aggie Grotto for the 2025-2026 year. I joined the grotto and started caving THIS YEAR after being egged on by a friend. Like many others, my first trip to Whirlpool blew away any expectations or fears I had about caving, and since then I’ve gone on every grotto trip around the state, helping out at digs and exploring the caves of Texas. Digs are my favorite kind of caving trips, as there’s nothing that beats the feeling of sitting around a campfire with friends after a long day of working at a dig. Outside of caving, I really enjoy messing around with computers, both professionally and recreationally, and teaching people about open source software.
Phone: | Email:
Christian Argenbright
Webmaster
Class of 2028, Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering
NSS#, TCMA Member
Howdy! I am the Webmaster of Aggie Grotto for the 2025-2026 school year. My caving journey began during the second semester of college in the spring of 2025. The Whirlpool trip is always a favorite for me, since it was a great introduction for me to the caving world. Another fun fact is that I wasn’t the first caver in my family. My dad was an underwater cave diver, who constantly took videos of his adventures. My love for the outdoors and adventure gives me an appreciation for caves, since there are many caves that differ in shape, size, and climate. Through my time in the Aggie Speleological Society, I hope to see countless more caves and gain a deeper connection with the caving community.
Phone: (682)-414-4882 | Email: texanman89@tamu.edu
Jenna Crabtree
Cave Community Liaison
Class of 2028, Master’s of Science in Hotel Management, Hospitality, & Tourism with an emphasis on park management
Graduate of 2024, Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies with a focus on laws and regulations
NSS #71683, TCMA Board Member, TSA Member, TSS Member, CFRP volunteer, Cavers of Central Kentucky Honorary Member, Explorer’s Club Student Member Applicant, Greater Houston Grotto member, Paha Sapa Grotto member, and Underground Texas Grotto member
Howdy! I am the current Cave Community Liaison for the Aggie Grotto. As someone who has “grown up” in the Aggie Grotto as a caver and conservationist, I firmly believe that mentoring the younger generation of new cavers is the most important role a caver can hold. There is nothing like seeing a newer member drop their first pit, tie their first figure-8 on a bight, or witness a cave for the first time. This year I hope to connect Aggies with other cavers in Texas and the nation through networking, participation in regional, national, and international events, and honoring time old traditions. I look forward to continuing my leadership role in the Aggie Grotto and seeing Aggies continue to flourish and pursue another 50 years of subterranean supremacy.
I began caving in the Fall of 2021 with the Aggie Grotto, and after venturing into Deep Cave with my new friends, I knew I was hooked for life. The Aggie Grotto led me to an internship as the Night Skies Assistant at Carlsbad Caverns National Park in the summer and fall of 2023. My time at Carlsbad shaped the foundations of my caving knowledge and perceptions of the underground. Since then, I have thrown myself into every facet of the caving community I have been able to access. I have cherished my time on the Texas Cave Management Association board and appreciate the mentorship of more senior board members and officers. I look forward to stepping into my role as Head of Webinars for the NSS and connecting with NSS members in new ways.
I am often found leading smaller project caving trips for the grotto. I am a neophyte cartographer, sketcher, restorationist, and cave gator. I love sketching a cave with fellow Aggies by my side and seeing the cave take shape through cartography. I look forward to expanding my cartographic capabilities and broadening my understanding of of restoration techniques.
Please contact me if you have any questions pertaining to the cave liaison position in the grotto.
Phone: (979) 777-5618 | Email: crabtreejenn75@gmail.com
Charlene Chirper ’26 – Bachelor of Science in Funny Business
Hi! I’m Charlene the Cave Cricket! Keep an eye out for me underground.
Aggie Grotto 