We are a citizen action group committed to requiring local candidates to take action on the climate crisis. As climate crisis activists, we recognize the need to move the climate discussion out to the community. This is a non-partisan grassroots effort to reach beyond the ‘choir’. The current political division has made this into an ‘issue’; in fact, it is a worldwide crisis and the victims are our children and all living organisms. We see this as ordinary people like ourselves using our vote to override the fossil fuel industries’ 1/2 billion dollar political lasso that effectively prevents elected officials from doing their job. To volunteer, send email to volunteer@vote-climate.org.
Our Board of Directors:
| Rebecca Cramer, the current Vote-Climate secretary, is a retired biomedical scientist who has volunteered with Vote-Climate for several years. From 2005-2013, she co-led the Twin Cities’ Northland Bioneers Conference, an annual project of Northland Sustainable Solutions (now closed) and was active in numerous other environmental and human rights organizations over the years, notably the St. Paul, MN-Ciudad Romero, El Salvador, Sister City Project and the Haiti Justice Committee of Minnesota. Rebecca and her husband Scott own the local “social messaging” company, Northern Sun Merchandising. Having retired from making cross-country sales trips for NSM, Rebecca and Scott are now very busy grandparents and also have raised lots of veggies for the last dozen years in a big garden “Up North” near McGregor, MN. |  |
| A career educator having taught preschool through graduate levels of science and science education, Karen Olson Johnson is passionate about how an informed and educated public is vital to addressing the climate crisis. She is the author of two books focused on how we can all be a part of the solutions needed now. Her second book, “From Where I See it,” won the Midwest Book Awards. This humorous and informative piece is narrated by Gizmo the cat as he follows his humans around and reports on what they do to make the world a better place. Karen Olson Johnson is currently fulfilling her second term on the board of directors for the Minnesota Environmental Partnership, the largest environmental organization partnership in the state. Contact her at karen@vote-climate.org |  |
| Steve Lelchuk is Vote-Climate’s acting Treasurer and website administrator. He is a retired University of Minnesota staffer and former AFSCME member who worked on the Obama reelection effort in 2012 as well as the marriage amendment and voter ID campaigns. He has now bent his efforts towards addressing the climate crisis. Contact him at admin@vote-climate.org |
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| Chuck Prentice is a retired resident of Edina who has been active in world climate efforts and in MN 350. He helped start five suburban climate action groups around the Twin Cities. |  |
| Pat Renner brings her skills as an educator , a retired social worker and a fierce Climate Activist. Pat has been involved with Vote Climate for the past several years. She has joined demonstrations in Washington DC, New York as well as Northern Minnesota to Stop Line 3 and in various Minneapolis protests. Pat emphasizes how we can all reduce our environmental impact through both personal and political life choices. The future of life on Earth depends on the choices we all make today. Contact her at pat@vote-climate.org. |  |
| Jean Ross is the President of Vote-Climate. She has lived around the world until coming to Minnesota to study art and design at MCAD & The University of Minnesota. JeanRossFineArt.com
Jean has obstensibly given up her craft to work on progressive politics and social, environmental and climate justice issues. She is involved in many local organizations including MN350 and Sierra Club North Star chapter’s Beyond Oil & Tar Sands Team. A lot of her effort over the past 6 years has gone into fighting oil pipelines in Minnesota. Her pet project is Vote-Climate which helps people who want to prioritize voting for candidates who will work on climate solutions and holding accountable their representatives on climate and environmental issues. Contact her at |
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We also wish to thank past members of our Board for their services: Sharon Coombs, Angie Jerome-Tuckner, Michael Neaton, and Hobie Stocking.