Our People

Administrative Staff | Hidden River Cave Staff

Meet our ACCA Administrative Staff! Each of our staff members brings us a wealth of experience and talent combined with a love for caves and the natural environment. Together we are a strong, dedicated force determined to fulfill our mission.

David G. Fostert

President / CEO

Annie Holt

Education Director

Debra “Debbie” Silverman

Director of Member Services

Jim Kennedy

Conservation Director

Dylan Wilson

Environmental Education Specialist

James “Jay” Pruitt

Operations Manager & Collections Curator

Al Warren

Staff Supervisor & Community Specialist

Chelsea Ballard

Social Media & Volunteer Coordinator

Linda Cook

Guest Relations/Gift Shop Manager
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Linda Cook is a Hart County native and grew up on the family farm, where they grew tobacco and raised Hereford beef cattle.

More About Linda

As you might imagine, sinkholes and caves were just part of the scenery! Living in other parts of the country, she couldn’t help but compare those landscapes to the beautiful rolling hills and dramatic cliffs of her Kentucky home. So in 2009, she finally made her way back home. Looking for a weekend job led her to Cub Run Cave. What a fantastic underground world! It literally took her breath away! Her job as a tour guide there would lead her to her life’s passion. After this cave closed, she took a brief hiatus and tried other things. But, the lure of the cool and mysterious brought her back to what she loves. She joined the staff of Hidden River Cave in 2018 and is so excited to be back doing what she loves! She has a genuine love for meeting new people and showing them them our spectacular cave. Where else can a small town country girl get to meet people from all over the world? She still lives on that same family farm in a little cottage tucked back in the woods, with her beloved daughter Courtney and two crazy cats! So, all in all, life is pretty good! Come see her at Hidden River Cave, she can’t wait to see you all again!

Cole Avery

Project Manager/Hidden River Cave Guide

Cole is a Hart County, Kentucky native.

More About Cole

He is interested in caves and conservation in Hart County and the Mammoth Cave National Park. Cole is currently going to school to become an archeologist and has a love for history of the world and the history of Hart County.

Bethany Neff

Building and Grounds Management/Hidden River Cave Guide

Bethany grew up in the Midwest, where a 6th grade class trip to the Mark Twain Cave in Hannibal, MO sparked her love for the subterranean world.

More About Bethany

She has a background in environmental science and forest ecology. While attending college in Oregon, Bethany devoted her time to several environmental projects that include studies and group participation on improving geospatial technologies, research on lichen as a biological indicator for air quality, effects of wildfires on both old and second-growth forests, ecosystem restoration and constructing bioswales.

Over the years Bethany has explored several caves throughout the United States but Hidden River Cave is the one that stole her heart.She feels Hidden River Cave is the “Phoenix of Kentucky” as it shows hope and resilience as well as new beginnings emerging from devastation and destruction. She has been with ACCA since Spring of 2023. She enjoys tour guiding as well as completing various restoration projects around the cave and sinkhole.

In her spare time, Bethany enjoys working on a variety of independent research projects. Her current focus is on mycoremediation and identifying different types of fungus found in caves that could potentially be used for mycoremediation in a variety of cave environments. She’s an outdoor enthusiast, enjoys mycotourism and participates in and supports studies on autism and ADHD as well as other types of neurodiversity.

Brooklyn Brownlee

Hidden River Cave Guide

Brooklyn Brownlee is a Tour Guide at Hidden River Cave employed in the spring of 2023.

More About Brooklyn

Throughout her career, she has developed a reputation for conservation, as well as record of being an Officer of Green minds and Sigma Zeta, at Campbellsville University.Brooklyn is originally from Tompkinsville, Kentucky, going to school for a degree in Biology. She started Campbellsville in the fall of 2023 and will be graduating in the Spring of 2024. After Graduation she will continue to work at Hidden River in the summer while she starts her degree in Chiropractic.