National Cave and Karst Research Institute

Carlsbad, New Mexico | Conduct, support, facilitate, and promote programs in cave and karst research, education, environmental management, and data acquisition and sharing.

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Headshot of Jenna Crabtree smiling

Jenna Crabtree

Jenna brings nearly 10 years of administrative experience to the NCKRI team, with a background in strategic organizational management, higher education administration, and event coordination. She began her professional career at age 17 as a Chaplain’s Assistant with the United States Army Reserve, where she developed an early foundation in organization, program support, and working with people across broad geographical locations. After graduating from Texas A&M University, Jenna continued her career in higher education, progressing from a student worker in the Department of Residence Life to Administrative Coordinator II positions in the Office of the Registrar, supporting Catalog, Courses, and Programs, and the Department of Hospitality, Hotel Management and Tourism. 

Jenna found her passion for caves and karst early in life when she visited her first cave, Carlsbad Cavern, at age 11. Although her interest continued throughout adolescence, other priorities eventually took center stage until she discovered the Aggie Grotto through Texas A&M University. There, she found what she describes as her true calling: the caving community. Jenna quickly became an active member of the Aggie Grotto, the Texas caving community, and the National Speleological Society. Over the years, she has enjoyed digging, cave surveying, mentorship, and volunteering within the caving community. More recently, Jenna has developed a passion for speleothem repair and spends many weekends underground on restoration trips with her partner, Jakob. She is happiest making formation matches and repairs and helping restore caves for future generations.

Outside of caves and karst, Jenna enjoys quieter hobbies including birding, beading, candle making, embroidery, hiking, sewing, and quilting. She maintains two extensive collections, one of minerals and another of National Geographic magazines, and is currently working on building a collection of Carlsbad Caverns National Park memorabilia. 

Joining NCKRI as the Administrative and Conference Coordinator is a professional highlight for Jenna, providing an opportunity to bring her administrative and organizational experience to a research institute while combining her professional skills with her lifelong passion for caves and karst. 

Education

Bachelor of Science, Environmental Science, Texas A&M University 2024