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Mary-Finley Brook, PhD Professor of Geography, Environment and Sustainability at the University of Richmond will discuss how tech companies like Google, Microsoft and Meta are receiving large subsidies and investing heavily in Virginia. The growing material requirements for cloud computing -- especially the high impacts from electricity and transmission -- will be unpacked in the context of current policies and developments across the state. Efforts to educate policymakers and AI users as well as support impacted communities are key to assure more ethical and greener computer operations in the Commonwealth.Bob Shippee, Chair of the Legislative Committee of the Virginia Chapter Sierra Club will provide an overview of key bills expected in the 2026 General Assembly Session, including those being led by the Virginia Chapter. He’ll also discuss strategies to protect and strengthen the Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA). The program will include information about Lobby Day and practical tips on how to effectively advocate with your legislators.
Mary Finley-Brook, PhD is a Professor of Geography, Environment and Sustainability at the University of Richmond. Finley-Brook is the co-author of the textbook Climate Crisis, Energy Violence with Academic Press (2024). She has decades of experience conducting participatory action research and she collaborates regularly with community-based organizations and frontline populations to advance climate and energy justice.
Finley-Brook was a founding member of the Virginia Governor’s Advisory Council on Environmental Justice. She conducted participatory research with the Virginia Environmental Justice Collaborative from 2015 to 2023. Her current collaborations with community partners include research and education about data centers and AI with Sierra Club FOJG, green workforce training with Bridging the Gap in Virginia and demanding corporate accountability alongside Comité Diálogo Ambiental in Puerto Rico.
Bob Shippee has a Bachelor's degrees from Syracuse University (Economics, Industrial Engineering) and a Master's degrees from Cornell University (MBA, Industrial/Labor Relations). He worked in financial services for 28 years for a predecessor of Bank of America and for Capital One. Upon retiring in 2015, Bob ran for county office, and in 2023 was a candidate for House of Delegates district 57.
Bob leads the Legislative Committee of the VA Sierra Club and serves as lead volunteer lobbyist during General Assembly sessions. He has also served as chapter treasurer and political chair. He served two terms on the Henrico County Electoral Board and is currently a Henrico Planning Commissioner. Bob lives in western Henrico with his wife Martha and has five adult children.
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Science Museum of Virginia, Science Museum of Virginia, 2500 W Broad St, Richmond, VA 23220, United States
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups - all the happenings, one place.
