John Sustarich
My name is John Sustarich, and I am seeking a seat on the NSS-CDS Board of Directors to give back to the organization that has shaped my journey as a cave diver. My primary goal is to ensure the CDS remains a world-class resource for its members while rigorously upholding our mission of conservation and safety.
Our springs and karst systems are fragile treasures, and their health is our greatest collective responsibility; I will be a steadfast advocate for the continued protection of these vital resources. Additionally, I am dedicated to supporting our NSS-CDS Training Committee in any capacity needed to maintain the excellence of our programs.
I am ready to put in the work required to move the CDS forward. I will dedicate my time and energy to improving our infrastructure, protecting our caves, and serving the membership with integrity. Thank you for your support and for your commitment to our underground world.
John Rutledge
I am honored to be considered for a position on the Board of Directors of the NSS-CDS. Over the past six years as an active cave diver, I have developed a deep appreciation for the safety culture, conservation values, and strong sense of community that make this
organization unique. During this time, I have worked to support the cave diving community not only as a diver but also through service. I currently serve as the Site Manager for Cow Springs, where I help maintain safe access to the site, support conservation efforts, and assist divers visiting the area. This role has given me firsthand experience with the responsibilities involved in protecting these fragile environments while ensuring responsible access for our community.
If elected to the Board, I would focus on several priorities:
Safety and Education – Continuing to promote safe cave diving practices through education, training support, and sharing of knowledge within the community.
Conservation and Responsible Access – Protecting our cave systems while working collaboratively to maintain responsible diver access to important sites.
Member Engagement – Encouraging participation and volunteerism while strengthening communication between the Board and the membership.
Stewardship of NSS-CDS Resources – Supporting the volunteers and site managers who work hard to maintain our properties and preserve them for future generations.
The NSS-CDS has built an incredible legacy through the dedication of its members and volunteers. I would be honored to contribute my experience, time, and commitment to help support the organization and the cave diving community moving forward.
Thank you for your consideration
Dan Alix
To the membership. My name is Dan Alix; I earned SCUBA C-Card in July 1999 and would later become an Open Water SCUBA Instructor in September 2017. I earned my OC TEC cert in 2018, and my rebreather cert in early 2020. I found cave diving and completed my full cave cert in December 2020. After earning my Full Cave Card, I continued to learn and grow by taking the DPV Cave course, the NSS-CDS CCR Full Cave courses, and the side-mount course before doing a CCR Crossover to the Choptima. I attended the Winter Workshops in 2024, 2025, and most recently 2026, and the NSS-CDS International Cave Diving Conference in 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025. I have been a member of the NSS-CDS since 2021 and a life member since 2022. In November 2025 I received the NSS-CDS Abe Davis award for 100 Safe Cave dives. I live right outside of Augusta, Georgia and I try to make it down to dive the Florida Cave system at least once every 4-6 weeks.
If elected to the Board of Directors (BOD) one of my goals would be help capture and preserve some of the rich history of the NSS-CDS and the evolution of Cave Diving through an oral history project. Two, I would like to strengthen the CDS’ relationship with the NSS in order to help promote the growth of knowledge of our sport. Lastly, I would continue to advance all the amazing efforts of the previous BOD’s. My goal in every endeavor is to leave it better than when I arrived. Feel free to reach out to me if you have questions and I hope to see all of you at the 2026 NSS-CDS International Cave Diving Conference in June.
Thank you for your consideration.
Respectfully
Daniel “SCUBAFox” Alix
danielalix@gmail.com
Fred Stratton
It has been my privilege and honor to serve the members of the NSS-CDS as the Chair the past 22 months. We have achieved great things together. I am running for another two-year term to follow through on our these successes and push other projects over the finish line. I foresee great days ahead for the Section.
The Chairman’s role can be summed up in one sentence: perform as the CEO of the organization. As such, some of the accomplishments below were my doing while many others were a team effort where I played the role of guide, facilitator or integrator. (As in cave diving, most successes are team wins.)
Accomplishments over the past two years:
— Updated our social media policy to better serve our members, instructors, the public and potential members in the public domain.
— Implemented a Social Media strategy. Increased followers and user engagement.
— Emplaced a Social Media coordinator who uses Meta business metrics to provide the Board with data to optimize our online presence.
— Completed the three-year endeavor to build stairs, platform and diver benches at Clearcut Sink in Crawfordville, FL.
— Rebuilt the boardwalk, three sets of stairs, and four diver benches at Madison Blue Springs State Park in Lee, Florida.
— Replaced the lower stairs leading to Orange Grove Sink replacing six stringers with nine, a beefier support system that will last for many years.
— Co-coordinated our first international event, the 2026 Winter Workshop in Tulum, Mexico, where 55 members, speakers and sponsors participated.
— Invested in infrastructure for CDS events: credit card readers, point of sales system, projection screen, a larger raffle ticket tumbler, and a step & repeat logo banner.
— Participated in the 2025 DEMA Show in Orlando. We turned a small profit, proved the success of our new point of sales system, and made new contacts.
— Organized hugely successful 2024 & 205 International Cave Diving Conferences.
— Authored an Event Team Structure and Task List, a written playbook for conducting future events in a structured, organized way.
— Authored a DEMA Planning and Task List, a guide for future DEMA teams and booth captains to prepare and execute Section participation in this important trade show.
— Joined many volunteers at Cow Springs to replace and paint the stairs, remove hurricane debris, install changing room floors, and rebuild three new benches.
— Negotiated the contract for the developer to build the Section’s first online course, the Full Cave Diver course which went live June 2025.
— Collaborated with the Suwannee County Parks & Recreation Department to procure and install the Adam Hughes Little River map at this beloved county park.
— Wrote over a dozen articles for Underwater Speleology as a contributing writer.
The Future of the Cave Diving Section: I will work with my fellow Board members and staff to put these aspirations in motion should you elect me to another term.
— Write a Strategic Plan to synchronize efforts and chart the Section’s future.
— Complete the Communications Strategy (a component of the NSS-CDS Strategic Plan) to reach target audiences with a clear, engaging voice.
— Grow the membership while maintaining a sense of community.
— Document CDS processes to pass down knowledge and maintain continuity.
— Fill subcommittee vacancies including the Land Access Subcommittee Coordinator.
— Overhaul the NSS-CDS website to be faster, more useful, and easier to navigate. Develop a concept for a repository of historical information.
— Support the Training Committee’s work to build more online training.
— Strengthen bonds between the CDS and the NSS, and with external organizations such as the Wakulla Karst Plains Project (WKPP). Renewed collaboration could magnify our individual efforts.
Very respectfully,
Fred Stratton
NSS # 54706
CDS Life Member
Shannon Perry
Hello fellow members.
I’m very honored to be nominated for a position on the NSS-CDS Board of Directors.
One of the things I value most about the NSS-CDS is being part of a community with such a deep and meaningful history. The stories, discoveries, and contributions of those who came before us have shaped the cave diving culture we enjoy today and created something truly special. It is both an inspiration and a responsibility to carry that legacy forward while supporting the next generation of cave divers.
As an active cave diver, I’ve come to appreciate how challenging and rewarding the cave environment can be. It’s also a humbling pursuit that reinforces the importance of continual learning and refining skills. That consistent drive to improve is part of what makes cave diving fun and seems to come with the side effect of discovering there’s always another piece of gear I inevitably “need.”
I’ve been a Cavenger (NSS-CDS volunteer) for several years and over the past year, I have taken on a more active volunteer role where I have applied my professional experience in graphic design and marketing. My recent volunteer efforts include:
- Planning and executing the highly successful 2026 Winter Workshop in Tulum, Mexico as an event co-coordinator
- Designing event T-shirts and marketing materials for the past two NSS-CDS Winter Workshops
- Working with Operations Manager Adam Hughes to overhaul the NSS-CDS online store to introduce new merchandise
- Collaborating with Adam to update and improve the point-of-sale (POS) system, increasing sales and accelerating customer checkout at live events
- Preparing for and participating in the NSS-CDS booth at the 2025 DEMA Show (scuba industry trade show) in Orlando, Florida
- Designing a unique T-shirt for the DEMA Show that helped push the CDS into the black for the Show
- Contributing to the revitalization of the Section’s social media efforts to include advising on our first Social Media Plan
If elected to the board, I will bring the same energy and momentum I’ve demonstrated as a volunteer and continue using my graphic design and marketing expertise to support the organization, its mission, and the members it serves.
Looking ahead, I’d like to help build on the work already underway while positioning the NSS-CDS for the future. One area I’m passionate about is advancing our marketing initiatives, including developing a YouTube channel to help share the story of our community and increase awareness and member engagement.
I’d also like to support improvements to our website to make resources, training, and store operations more accessible and functional for members, instructors, and internal workflows.
Preserving our history is equally important, and I’d like to help develop a digital archive to protect and organize the rich legacy of the NSS-CDS for future generations.
At the same time, we must continue supporting the core of our mission through cave conservation, exploration, and improvements to dive sites that benefit the entire community.
I appreciate you taking the time to read and consider my candidacy. I look forward to continuing to support the NSS-CDS and the community that makes it so special.
Best,
Shannon
shancore@gmail.com