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Omni Shoreham Hotel 2500 Calvert Street NW, Washington, District of Columbia 20008 (202) 234-0700CCL Room rate: $294/night + tax. Book by May 13, 2024 to receive this rate.
CCL's Summer Conference & Lobby Day
June 8-11, 2024
Washington, D.C.
This June, lobby for the good of the planet on Capitol Hill. You’ll join with 1,000+ people from across the country to tell Congress that later is too late to stop the pollution that’s overheating the planet. But first, you’ll make connections, hear new ideas and get information that you can use on Capitol Hill and take back home with you to grow support for action in your community.
Conference speakers and sessions will cover a broad range of topics, like:
🏛 Near-term opportunities for climate policy in Congress
🤝 Bridging partisan divides that keep us from acknowledging the scope of the problem
🗳️ Making climate change a top priority in every 2024 election
The conference officially kicks off on Sunday, June 9th, but you can join us early on Saturday, June 8th for some new conference offerings. If you are a student you’re invited to our first Student Summit. Or, choose one of two Saturday activities in the afternoon: writing postcards to voters, and having climate conversations with the public in Washington, D.C. Find more details in the FAQs.
Xan Fishman
Sr. Director, Energy Program, Bipartisan Policy Center
Jerome Foster II
Founder & Executive Director of Waic Up
Sierra Petersen
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Michigan
Ben Stillerman
Documentary Filmmaker
Nathaniel Stinnett
Founder & Executive Director, Environmental Voter Project
Elan Strait
Head of Policy and Impact, Potential Energy Coalition
CCL Room rate: $294/night + tax. Book by May 13, 2024 to receive this rate.
Tentative Program - Subject to Change
Are you a middle/high school or college-age student? Join us a day early in Washington, D.C., for a special day of learning, connecting, and strategizing with other young climate leaders. You’re invited to participate in a special CCL Five Levers workshop designed with you(th) in mind. There will also be an opportunity to visit the National Mall and do some grassroots climate outreach. Our first Student Summit is a full day of activities specifically for students, in addition to the Summer Conference and Lobby Day. If you wish to attend, register for the full conference & lobby day and select Student Summit during registration. Students can participate in any or all of the following activities:
Spend part of the time engaging everyday folks in climate conversations near the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial and some time exploring the sites of D.C.!
Lunch on your own
Every month, we host an educational call with a guest speaker and legislative and organizational updates for all of our supporters. Join CCLers at the Omni to watch the national call live!
Learn how students creatively use CCL’s Five Levers and strategies to move through “stuckness.” In this interactive session, you'll hear directly from CCL student volunteers about how they've creatively leveraged media, grassroots outreach, grasstops engagement, lobbying, and chapter development to make an impact in their communities. These students have been leading powerful campaigns and will share what they've learned through their efforts. Then, they'll lead a brainstorming activity where you can develop your own plans to use one of the five levers to support your work, get creative ideas from other students, and get feedback to refine your ideas.
Meet up with fellow students and enjoy some pizza!
Every month, we host an educational call with a guest speaker and legislative and organizational updates for all of our supporters. Join fellow conference attendees to watch the national call live together!
The conference officially kicks off on Sunday, June 9th, but you can join us early on Saturday, June 8th for some new activities.
Join CCL’s largest postcard-writing party! We’ll be writing postcards to voters to encourage them to get out and vote on election day.
Building off our April Earth Month Climate Conversations goal, continue the momentum by engaging everyday folks in climate conversations near the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial.
Meals are on your own. Check this list of nearby restaurants.
Meet up with fellow attendees to catch up, and play board games.
Mark Reynolds
Interim Executive Director, CCL
Steffanie Munguía
Student Engagement Director, CCL
We welcome all levels of experience at CCL! Find the session that fits best for you if you’re brand new, a leader, or somewhere in between.
CCL Group Leaders, Liaisons, and State Coordinators are invited to join this special leadership workshop exclusively designed with the primary goal of connecting with one another. We’ll also refresh our leadership skills, get updated on the latest legislative strategy, and discuss how to keep volunteers empowered and inspired.
Join an empowering workshop introducing participants to CCL’s transformational advocacy. During the session, you will learn about CCL’s approach, the climate solutions we are fighting for, and the ways you can effectively advocate for them. As we gear up for our June 11th Lobby Day, you’ll learn everything you need to know about participating in a successful lobby meeting. Whether you're new to CCL’s climate advocacy or a seasoned volunteer who wants a refresher, this training offers a valuable opportunity to contribute to our shared goal of a livable world. Please note: This workshop must be completed if you plan to lobby with CCL.
Speed-date your way through CCL’s various advocacy possibilities. During this session, you’ll have the chance to move from table to table to get a taste of the different levers of political will you can get involved in. You’ll learn about the work of our conservative, BIPOC, and higher ed teams and hone your skills in fundraising, media outreach, chapter development, climate conversations and more.
Meals are on your own. Check this list of nearby restaurants.
Nathaniel Stinnett
Founder & Executive Director, Environmental Voter Project
Steffanie Munguía
Student Engagement Director, CCL
We’re already making waves in Congress, and we have the power to keep influencing America’s climate policy. Join CCL’s Dana Nuccitelli and Flannery Winchester for a high-level overview of the policy opportunities CCL has worked on this year. We’ll explore the potential policy landscape for the rest of the year and how climate advocates can push for more progress at federal and local levels.
Dana Nuccitelli
Research Coordinator, CCL
Flannery Winchester
Sr. Director of Communications, CCL
With less than 24 hours before CCL hits Capitol Hill, this session is designed to get you fired up and informed for a great day championing climate solutions. Ben and Jenn from CCL’s Government Affairs team will ensure you head to Congress fully primed on CCL’s legislative strategy, familiar with our Primary and Secondary Asks, and equipped with all the necessary tools for success. Xan Fishman, of the Bipartisan Policy Center, will go a little deeper into the policy details of our Asks.
Xan Fishman
Senior Director, Energy Program, Bipartisan Policy Center
Ben Pendergrass
VP of Government Affairs, CCL
Jennifer Tyler
Sr. Director of Government Affairs, CCL
Time set aside for lobby meeting planning. We suggest you meet with your 2 p.m. team from 4:30 – 5:15 p.m., and your 3 p.m. team during from 5:15 – 6 p.m. Based on past lobby days, 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. is the most popular lobby meeting time, so you will likely have a meeting at this time.
Meals are on your own. Check this list of nearby restaurants.
Join CCL’s PGM (People of the Global Majority) Caucus/Affinity Action Teams for dinner. This will be a great place for connection, sharing stories, asking questions, and hearing long time members share past experiences of the conference. If you plan to attend, please RSVP here by June 8th.
This reception is an intentional space for those who identify as people of color. If you are an white ally, please honor this space by not participating. Thank you.
Meet up with fellow attendees to catch up, and play board games.
Our keynote speaker is Jerome Foster II, an environmental activist, and founder of Waic Up. Through his work as a grassroots organizer and as a member of the Biden administration’s Environmental Justice Advisory Council, Jerome brings a wealth of knowledge about building coalitions and bridging divides. During his session, Jerome will discuss policy, how to have compelling climate conversations and help CCLers forge powerful intergenerational relationships as we work together to solve the climate crisis.
Jerome Foster II
Founder & Executive Director of Waic Up
Join us for a special screening of True False Hot Cold, a documentary about climate change, belief, and talking to people you don’t agree with. This session will include a fireside chat with filmmaker Ben Stillerman about his experience talking about climate with rural Utahns. Ben will share his tips on deep listening and finding common ground for effective communication. True False Hot Cold is a project of Social Cohesion Lab, a production company focused on using media to bridge divides.
Ben Stillerman
Documentary Filmmaker
Elli Sparks
Sr. Director of Programs, CCL
For such a big problem, there’s not nearly enough talk about climate change. Which is why CCLers are determined to talk about it in our communities and make this topic real and relevant to all. We are delighted to be joined for this session by Potential Energy Coalition and Science Moms, two organizations leading the way with groundbreaking climate communication. We’ll hear the latest on their research and guidance and invite grassroots volunteers to share their own experiences of talking about climate.
Sierra Petersen
Asst. Prof., Dept. of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Michigan
Elan Strait
Head of Policy and Impact, Potential Energy Coalition
Lesley Beatty
VP of Marketing & Communications, CCL
Mindy Ahler
North Wind Regional Director & Liaison Program Coordinator
Meals are on your own. Check this list of nearby restaurants.
Don’t miss our Monday Breakout Sessions, where you’ll hear from experts, learn from CCL volunteers and staff, and dive deeper into policy during three one-hour sessions with breaks in between.
Behind every successful member of Congress is a diligent and knowledgeable team of staff. In this captivating session, we will be joined by a panel of Capitol Hill staffers who will shed light on the intricacies of Congressional decision-making. Learn best practices for building relationships and how to be an A + advocate when it comes to imparting climate policy.
We've all heard the term "carbon pricing," but what exactly does it mean and how does it work? CCL’s Rick Knight will go over the basics, including the theory behind pricing carbon, how it is a solution being implemented worldwide, and how this type of policy can be fine tuned to get the best outcomes for our society. Whether you're new to this concept, or just want a refresher, be sure to swing by this session.
CCL Electrification Action Team will outline why building electrification and efficiency is an important policy area. Learn how CCL chapters can engage community leaders to support policy that improves electrification and efficiency with approaches rooted in principles of community engagement and coalition-building.
How we participate in elections can have an enormous bearing on the future of our health and the health of our democracy. Many CCL chapters have doctors, nurses, PAs, social workers, counselors, and other health professionals. During this session, CCLers will learn how to empower the trusted health professionals in their chapters to connect the dots on healthcare and climate change advocacy. All while caring for their mental health during the fractious period leading up to the 2024 election.
Climate change disproportionately affects some communities more than others. During this discussion, our panel of experts will apply an environmental justice lens to climate work. We will discuss how to show up, listen and forge meaningful connections as we “look around the corner” to anticipate and consider the long-term effects to frontline communities.
Meals are on your own. Check this list of nearby restaurants.
Join our DJ for a dance party and cash bar.
Cap off your conference & lobby day experience – celebrate your lobbying efforts, hear from first time lobbyists.
Everyone is invited to participate, regardless of your level of experience in CCL. We provide training for all levels of experience during the conference.
Visit our registration page to register. The registration deadline is May 20, 2024, 11:59 p.m. ET. NOTE: you should only register one person per transaction/ticket. If you are registering for multiple people, do so in separate transactions. Once you are finished with this registration, go back to the event page and select another ticket for the next person you are registering. Failure to do so will cause issues with our lobby scheduler.
Walk-in registration is available for the conference only (June 8-10). Walk-in registrants will not receive a lobby day schedule (for June 11th).
Yes, registration fees and deadlines are as follows:
We have three scholarships available:
We strive to keep registration fees low to make it possible for as many people who want to attend to be able to do so. To request a registration discount or fee waiver, please email .
For financial support to offset travel and lodging for the conference, we recommend talking with your Group Leader or State or Regional Coordinator about local fundraising efforts. Some volunteers have donated hotel or airline points to help other volunteers reduce their costs. You might also check out these conference fundraising ideas on CCL Community.
We will be having a post-lobby day reception the evening of Tuesday, June 11th which includes hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar. All other meals are on your own. The area is packed with restaurants.
Registration fees are not transferable.
Yes. When you register and you get to the payment section of the registration process, select “pay by check” and continue with the rest of the registration form. Please mail your check, made payable to Citizens’ Climate Education, to PO Box 181020, Coronado, CA 92178. Please put “2024 Summer Conference” in the memo. Your payment must be received by May 20th.
Yes! CCL believes in empowering young voices. Please note that conference attendees under the age of 18 require additional steps for registration. Here are the considerations to be aware and steps to should take:
Attendees under the age of 13 must be accompanied by a parent/legal guardian, and do not need to register for the conference. It is expected the parent/guardian and minor will be together through the conference and lobby day.
Attendees ages 13-17 must be accompanied by a chaperone (which could be a parent/guardian, or another trusted adult), and should register for the conference.
For any questions regarding permission slips or attending the conference as a minor, please email .
If you need to cancel, contact us as soon as possible by email or by phone at (619) 437-7142. The deadline for cancellations and refunds is May 20th. Refunds are only available through May 20th (you can still cancel after May 20th but we cannot process your refund).
Yes, you can walk-in to the conference and register. We can accept credit/debit cards, and personal checks only. Registration prices are $179 for conference registration or $30 for student/low income conference registration. Walk-in registration includes conference sessions June 8-10 only; walk-in registrants will not receive a lobby day schedule for June 11th.
We are grateful for the layers of protection and public education that now exist to keep us as safe as possible at our upcoming in-person conference. We want to acknowledge that the risks are not the same for everyone and that people must determine for themselves what risks to take. We trust that you will make the best decision for yourself regarding your attendance at the event and what precautions you take, such as vaccinations, boosters, social distancing, and wearing a mask. At this time we will not be requiring testing before or during the conference, or mask wearing at the conference. We ask attendees to support people in their personal choice about wearing masks. If you are not feeling well in the days leading up to or at the conference, we ask that you stay home or isolate yourself. We will refund your conference registration fee upon request. If you must cancel your attendance to the conference due to COVID-19 or illness, please let us know as soon as you can by emailing . We will be streaming portions of the conference for those who cannot attend. Thank you in advance for being thoughtful and courteous to other attendees.
There will be some conference sessions that we are live streaming on Zoom and YouTube (the program above will be updated to show which sessions will be streaming). Registration for the virtual portion of the conference will open when the in-person registration closes. The virtual conference is free.
We’ll be making updates to the program as we get closer to the conference, so be sure to check back for the most up-to-date agenda. You’ll find the conference schedule on this webpage you are currently viewing, scroll up to the “Program” section to find the conference agenda.
The Climate Advocate Lobby Training focuses on CCL, our history, and our methods for generating political will, as well as the basics of how to lobby Congress using CCL’s specific approach. The training occurs at our National and Regional Conferences, and when we are initiating a brand new group in a new area. If you’re new to CCL or you have never attended this training before we strongly encourage you to attend it in person at the conference, or you can sign up for a virtual version of the workshop here. This training is required to lobby with CCL.
The conference officially kicks off on Sunday, June 9th, but you can join us early on Saturday, June 8th for some new activities. There is no additional cost for Saturday activities. If interested in participating, be sure to indicate so during your registration.
There are three choices:
The host hotel is the Omni Shoreham, located at 2500 Calvert Street NW, Washington, D.C., 20008. For conference attendees, the rate starts at $294 per night plus tax with up to four people per room. You must book by April 17th to receive the CCL rate. Visit our group room block reservation page on the hotel’s website to make your reservation. Reservations are made on a first come, first served basis and fill up quickly, we suggest you make your reservation early.
Casual or business casual attire is just fine for the conference June 8-10. If participating in lobby day on June 11th, we suggest business attire. That might mean, a suit and tie, dress pants or skirt with a professional top, or sweater, and jacket, or a dress. You can check out this folder of photos from past lobby days for some outfit inspiration. Everyone should wear comfortable shoes (or bring a bag big enough to hide comfy shoes to change into between meetings). There will be a lot of walking in D.C., and many seasoned CCL lobbyists can tell you about their sore feet!
In order to facilitate the coordination of searching for roommates you will need to sign CCL’s Liability Waiver for the Room Share Forum. Read the terms on that page and express your consent to the terms. After you click submit you’ll be redirected to the room share forum. To find the forum later, on Community go to Connect With Others -> Sitewide Forums -> General -> Room Share.
We only have a room block secured at the Omni Shoreham Hotel, our conference venue.
You can find nearby hotels on Hotels.com.
Hostels (dorm style accommodations):
Yes, DC’s rail service is called Metro. The Red Line stops at Woodley Park, which is a couple of blocks away from the Omni Shoreham Hotel. Check out this DC Metro Trip Planner for additional information.
From Union Station, take the Red Line going toward Shady Grove (Northwest) to the Woodley Park station (six stops). Walk two blocks to the Omni Shoreham Hotel by heading out of the Woodley Park station at the 24th Street NW & Connecticut Ave exit and proceed down Calvert Street. The Omni Shoreham Hotel address is 2500 Calvert St NW, Washington, DC, 20008.
Valet parking is available at the hotel at the rate of $55/day. Self-parking is not available.
Find nearby restaurants on Yelp.com or on the Omni Shoreham’s website.
In lobby days past we’ve met with over 400 offices, we hope to meet that goal again this year!
We have a limit of 1,200 citizen lobbyists for Lobby Day. If you want to participate in lobbying, we encourage you to register early. However, there is plenty of room at the conference itself June 9-10. Even if you can’t lobby, we hope you will take advantage of the speakers, workshops, and opportunity to network with like-minded volunteers at the conference.
Based on our past experience, with so many people wanting to lobby, we expect each person to have 2-3 lobby meetings, with 4-6 volunteer lobbyists in each meeting. This is subject to change, of course, depending on how many offices we schedule appointments with and the timing of those meetings.
We will do our best to put constituents in their congressperson’s meeting though sometimes there are more constituents than space in an office. We estimate each citizen lobbyist to have 2-3 meetings. Given we’ll have attendees from around the country, lobby teams will have a mix of 5-6 constituents and non-constituents.
Lobby teams and schedules are coordinated in conjunction with CCL State Coordinators and Regional Directors and a software program that prioritizes constituents and existing liaisons to be placed in their district meeting if possible.
We cross reference the availability you provided when you registered, and we place you into appointments based on your availability, your congressional district, and the need for volunteers to fill meetings where we do not have any or enough constituents to fill the meeting. We try to have no more than 4-6 people per meeting, depending on the number of people we have attending Lobby Day. We estimate each volunteer lobbyist to have 2-3 meetings.
We kindly ask that you love the schedule you receive. The process of coordinating the schedule is complex and changes have domino effects. Often there are more constituents than space available in Capitol Hill offices. Sometimes congressional staffers have requested a limit on the number of people attending the meeting. If for any reason you cannot attend a meeting we ask that you notify the meeting leader, which can be found on your lobby schedule.
Lobby meetings on June 11th can be scheduled starting at 8:30 a.m., most end by 5:30 p.m. If you need to end your lobby day earlier than 5:30 p.m., when you register please indicate the time you are available until (you can potentially be scheduled for a meeting to start 1 hour prior to the time indicated. For example, if you indicate in your registration you are available until 3 p.m., you could be scheduled for a meeting that starts at 2 p.m.). If you have any questions about your availability or schedule please email .
Lobby day registration closes May 20th, 11:59 p.m. ET sharp, no exceptions. This gives us enough time to assemble the lobby teams and schedules from available lobbyists. We’ll notify you of your team members the week of June 5th, so you’ll have plenty of time to meet with your team to plan before lobby day on June 11th.
To attend the conference and to lobby, attendees under the age of 18 must submit a signed parents’ permission form by May 15th. Send an email to for assistance. The name of the parent or guardian that is accompanying the minor must be provided. Minors will be scheduled to lobby with their parent/guardian/chaperone. There is a limit of one minor per chaperone.
Yes, special requests can be submitted once you register. After you register, you will receive two confirmation emails. In one of the two confirmation emails there will be a link to submit special relationships and/or requests. Please keep in mind that we prioritize constituents to meet with their members of Congress, and there are no scheduling guarantees.
We kindly ask that you love the schedule you receive. The process of coordinating the lobby day schedules is complex and changes have domino effects. Often there are more constituents than space available in Capitol Hill offices. Sometimes congressional staffers have requested a limit on the number of people attending the meeting. If for any reason you cannot attend a meeting, we ask that you notify the meeting leader, which can be found on your lobby schedule.
No, please do not just drop in to a lobby meeting or join a team you aren’t assigned to. Consult your Regional Director or for advice if you think it is imperative that you be in a certain meeting. We put a lot of effort and advance planning into creating lobby teams, including making sure they aren’t too large and making sure everyone who is registered to lobby is part of a lobby team. Lobby day is not a drop-in event. Advance registration and our Climate Advocate Lobby Training are expected of everyone who wishes to participate in the lobby day.
Whether it’s your first time lobbying or your tenth, visit our Prepare for Lobby Day page to read through our recommended resources as a guide to walk you through the process of planning a powerful Lobby Day experience and the upcoming calendar of deadlines, helpful links and training. Plan to attend live, or watch the recordings for the listed training. We’ll also have Lobby Day training during the conference on June 9-10.
We ask the leader for each lobby team to contact the team members as soon as possible to arrange a time to prepare for the meeting. If you don’t hear from your team lead, you can also contact them. All contact information for your team will be on your schedule which will be emailed to you on June 5th. Teams are encouraged to meet virtually prior to arriving in D.C. as you will have several days to prepare prior to lobby day.
Lobby meeting preparation matters! Given our busy conference agenda, it is not possible to designate specific times at the conference for each team to meet. We will have time set aside in the conference agenda specifically for meeting planning. We suggest you meet with your 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. lobby meeting teams (based on past lobby days, this is the most popular lobby meeting time, so you will likely have a meeting at this time). Teams can also find time to meet during meal breaks and during the evenings when there is free time in the conference schedule.
Lobby Team Leaders: Individuals selected as Lobby Team Leaders will be alerted of such by June 3rd. We ask Team Leaders to contact their team members as soon as you receive your schedule on June 5th (via email and/or text) to arrange a time to prepare for the meeting virtually, or schedule something in-person at the conference. All contact information for your team will be on your schedule.
Team Members (non Team Leaders): Expect to hear from your Team Leader to arrange time virtually or in-person at the conference to plan your meeting. If you don’t hear from your Team Leader, you can also contact them. All contact information for your team will be on your schedule which will be emailed to you on June 5th.
We suggest business attire for those participating in Lobby Day on Capitol Hill. That might mean, a suit and tie, dress pants or skirt with a professional top, or sweater, and jacket, or a dress. You can check out this folder of photos from past lobby days for some outfit inspiration. Everyone should wear comfortable shoes (or bring a bag big enough to hide comfy shoes to change into between meetings). There will be a lot of walking in D.C., and many seasoned CCL lobbyists can tell you about their sore feet! Casual or business casual attire is just fine for the conference itself June 8-10.
We recommend checking your bags at the front desk of your hotel if you plan to leave D.C. on Wednesday. Make sure you leave plenty of time for your last lobbying appointment (it could start as late as 5:30 p.m.) to get back to the hotel, pick up your bags, and then get to the airport or train station.
Another option is to consider luggage storage services such as Vertoe or Bounce.
We strongly recommend you NOT to take your luggage with you to Capitol Hill. You may experience problems with security at the federal buildings, you will be doing a lot of walking throughout the day, and the House and Senate offices are all very small and cannot accommodate luggage.