F Minus opens a new front in the climate fight: a call for divestment from fossil fuel lobbyists.
Launched in 2023, F Minus is using its revolutionary database of state-level lobbyists for upstream and midstream oil, gas, and coal interests to demonstrate the extent to which these lobbyists are also representing people, schools, communities, and businesses being harmed by the climate crisis.
The fossil fuel industry is rapidly losing the social license needed to build new projects as the severity of the climate crisis becomes increasingly clear and the public embraces the energy transition. Nevertheless, the fossil fuel industry remains firmly embedded in state capitols because of positive or merely neutral public opinion about its lobbyists, more than 1,500 of whom also represent non-fossil fuel companies, schools, nonprofits, and other organizations whose activities are perceived as beneficial. As detailed in our F Minus Annual Report 2024, we are disrupting this dynamic and calling on people to fire their fossil fuel lobbyists.
James Browning
Executive Director
James Browning is the Founder and Executive Director of F Minus, which tracks fossil fuel lobbyists who also represent victims of the climate crisis. Browning has more than 20 years experience as a public interest advocate, including ten years as a state and regional director for Common Cause, for whom he wrote “Deep Drilling, Deep Pockets,” a series of reports about the fracking industry that was featured on MSNBC, NPR, and in several documentary films. He is the author of The Fracking King, a novel that was named one of the Best 100 Books of 2014 by Amazon. Browning has a B.A. from Brown University and an M.A. in Writing from the Johns Hopkins University.
Ally Marcella
Director of Research and Illinois Coordinator
Ally Marcella is the Director of Research and Illinois Coordinator for F Minus. She previously worked for Clean Missouri from 2018 to 2020 and as a researcher at RepresentUs from 2021 to 2022. Marcella has a B.A. in American Studies: Politics, Institutions, and Values, a B.A. in Music, and a certificate in Geographic Information Science (GIS) from DePaul University.
Board
Derek Cressman
Acting Chair
Derek Cressman is an award-winning author, policy advocate, and social change organizer around environmental and good government issues. He served as Vice President of State Operations for Common Cause and has testified before Congress and the federal courts, authored three books, and coauthored or edited numerous reports and op-ed columns. His writing and commentary have appeared in USA Today, The Associated Press, The New York Times, US News & World Report, Salon, TruthOut, The Nation, The Progressive, Alternet, The Los Angeles Times, Roll Call, The Hill, The San Francisco Chronicle, The San Jose Mercury News, and The Sacramento Bee among other publications.
Flora Champenois
Flora Champenois is Program Director for Coal for Global Energy Monitor, a non-profit that creates databases, tools, and reports in support of the worldwide movement for clean energy. Previously, she was a Senior Research and Policy Analyst at Earthjustice, where she worked alongside attorneys to accelerate the coal-to-clean energy transition. She holds an Environmental Sciences and GIS degree from the University of California, Berkeley. Flora is also involved in women-led grant-making, advocating for safer streets for cyclists and pedestrians, serving on the board of her alumni chapter, and solving puzzles.
Robert Cheetham
Robert Cheetham is the Chief Strategy Office for Element 84, a software engineering firm that applies open source geospatial technology for good. Prior to joining Element 84, Robert was the founder and CEO of Azavea, a B Corporation that created geospatial software for civic, social, and environmental impact. He previously served as a software developer and GIS analyst for the University of Pennsylvania, the City of Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Police Department and as a civil servant in Japan. He has an MLA in Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning from the University of Pennsylvania and a BA in Japanese Studies from the University of Michigan.
Stephen Doubleday
Stephen Doubleday is an entrepreneur based in Portland, Oregon. A trained architect and licensed general contractor, he is an active real estate developer, builder and investor. He is the past Chairman of Geographic Expeditions, a global adventure travel company engaged in deep cultural experiences with minimal ecological impact. He has served on numerous non-profit boards bringing his empathic listening, skilled negotiating, and financial acumen to aid in consensus building and mission success.
Lindsey Washburn
Lindsey Washburn is a dedicated policy advocate with over 15 years of experience driving systemic change and scaling impact through policy. Lindsey has worked in the public, private, and social sectors, across all levels of government. She currently works for the City of Tigard in Oregon as the Sustainability and Strategic Initiatives Manager. Lindsey is also the Director of Public and Social Sector Policy with the AI Governance Group where she leverages her experience to bridge the gap between technological innovation and practical policy implementation.