THE BOARD OF NCC
Leslie Hatfield
President
Leslie Hatfield Biography
Leslie’s foray into caving was somewhat accidental, occurring after she purchased land with a cave entrance and a cave running beneath it. She is a retired earth science teacher who introduced many students, as well as family and friends, to their first caving experience with a visit to the NCC’s Clarksville Cave. Leslie’s interest in the NCC, as a landowner, is to assist the NCC with its efforts in the areas of conservation and study of caves and karst areas.
Kevin Dumont
Vice President
Kevin Dumont Biography
Kevin started caving in 1986 and has served either as a trustee or preserve manager for the NCC since 2010, and as Vice President since 2025. He has two graduate degrees in the geological sciences and enjoys promoting science education, particularly related to karst. He currently works as an Earth Science teacher in the city of Newburgh.
Ben Brown
Treasurer
Ben Brown Biography
Ben has been caving since his early teens. He has held various leadership roles in the Niagara Frontier Grotto over the last decade and has visited caves across the US. He is an active digger and current chairman of the NSS Digging Section. His digs have resulted in the discovery of several new caves in New York State. He is an electrical engineer with extensive product development experience in both corporate and high-tech startup roles. He currently runs his own small business in Western New York and is a volunteer mentor with SCORE on small business topics. He became the NCC treasurer in 2025.
Ramon Armen
Secretary
Ramon Armen Biography
Ramon started caving and digging in the northeast in 2012. He served as Trip Chair for Boston Grotto from 2013-2016, is active with the Berkshire Area Digger's Association, and has helped discover, explore, and survey several of the longest caves in New England. He enjoys project caving, exploration, cave photography, and introducing new people to the world of caving.
Mitch Berger
Trustee
Mitch Berger Biography
Mitch started caving in 2005, when he first visited Clarksville with the MIT Caving Club. He spent several years leading trips for that club, training new leaders, and occasionally serving as Secretary. He became involved with the NCC in 2012 shortly after being disappointed when his group was denied permission to visit a cave - this sparked his interest in landowner relationships and what's involved in caring for and maintaining a cave preserve for the community to enjoy (the NCC now owns this cave). He's currently manager of the Knox Cave Preserve. A life member of the NSS, he's active in the Boston Grotto, a member of the Helderberg-Hudson Grotto, and has served as Vice Chair and then Chair of the NRO. He caves and digs in the northeast, and occasionally West Virginia.
Morgan Ingalls
Trustee
Morgan Ingalls Biography
Morgan has been caving since 2008 and has been an NCC board member since 2011, where she is also the Merlins Preserve Manager. Morgan’s life revolves around caves, bats, and conservation, and can frequently be found caving, digging, and surveying in Massachusetts and Vermont. She holds a B.S. Biochemistry from Marlboro College, and an M.Sci. in Environmental Studies with a focus on Conservation Biology from Antioch University New England. She currently lives in southern Vermont and works as a bat biologist through out the northeast.
Jacob Morris-Siegel
Trustee
Jacob Morris-Siegel Biography
Jacob has been caving since 2011. He is currently the Vice-President of the Vermont Cavers Association, and is actively digging, exploring, and surveying caves with the Berkshire Area Diggers Association. He has his B.S in Biology from Umass Amherst. For the past 9 years he has worked for the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife and is currently the Stewardship Biologist for their Western District Office.
Paul Rubin
Trustee
Paul Rubin Biography
Paul Rubin is a Professional Geologist who has been exploring and conducting research in Albany and Schoharie County caves since 1973. He has pushed the physical limits of McFail’s Cave, Skull Cave, and Howe Caverns, and documented the first occurrence of white-nose syndrome in bats in the United States. His karst research focusses on unravelling the geomorphic history of caves and their surroundings, with emphasis on bedrock structure, sediment sequence, and the interaction of karst and glaciation. Findings have been presented at Geological Society of America meetings, before numerous other professional organizations, and shared with cavers and the public.
Cara Gentry
Trustee
Cara Gentry Biography
Cara has been caving since 1997. She received a graduate degree in Environmental Geosciences at the University of New Haven and completed additional graduate work in Geology at the University of Florida where she was the president of the Florida Speleological Society. Upon returning to the northeast, she joined Shawangunk-Catskill Area Grotto and has served as president for several years. Cara helped facilitate the discussion between the NCC and the previous owners of Salamander Cave inorder to protect the cave for future generations of cavers and has served as preserve manager since the land was donated.