Staff Spotlight: Rebecca Johnson

Time with FracTracker: 7 months
Nickname: Becca, Bec
Education: University of South Carolina (Go Cocks!) and Colorado State University
Office Location: Camp Hill, PA
Title: Administrative & HR Specialist

What do you do in this role?
I act in a supporting role, responsible for managing office equipment and correspondence, booking meetings and events, arranging travel, and distributing news and important personnel information. I provide HR, administrative, and archival support in the background – while simultaneously manning the front lines, whether it’s to field office calls, satisfy inquiries, or facilitate partner collaboration. I also provide assistance with monthly reporting, document editing and revision, and many other capacities that help FracTracker operate smoothly and effectively.

Previous position and organization:
Graduate student of Conservation Leadership through Learning in the Warner College for Natural Resources at Colorado State University

How did you first get involved working on oil and gas/fracking issues?
Oil and gas is a relatively new subject area for me – none of that in my home state South Carolina – but I have always harbored discontentment with unsustainable and nonrenewable industries, especially ones producing so much plastic and waste. Fracking caught my attention in graduate school in Colorado because of its detrimental impacts to landscape ecology, especially affecting water and soil health. But the O&G industry has spurred public interest and activism across the US, resulting in an exciting and inspiring community-based movement that I am proud to be a part of! When I discovered FracTracker’s work, I knew it was the perfect place to familiarize myself with fracking and related environmental concerns, and communicate its impacts while also promoting community involvement for a healthier, sustainable future.

What do you think are the most impactful projects that you have been involved with at FracTracker?
In the short time I have been here, FracTracker has led or contributed to several impactful publications and analyses. I was humbled by the stories I recorded for the Dangerous Work Report 2019, a collaboration with Crude Accountability and Ecoforum of NGOs of Kazakhstan. The report highlights the experiences of resolute environmental defenders in former Soviet space and the US. I also learned a lot in planning the Community Sentinel Awards for Environmental Stewardship and I am still carrying the inspiration from that event over to every day here at FracTracker.