Jessi Parfait

US Carbon Capture Senior Campaigner

Jessi Parfait (she/her) is the US Fossil Economy CCS Campaigner based in Louisiana’s “Cancer Alley”, and her work supports the Fossil Economy program by confronting the harmful impacts of carbon capture and storage in the United States. 

Before joining CIEL’s Fossil Economy team, Jessi worked on a number of environmental justice issues impacting coastal Louisiana including the LNG buildout, coastal erosion, the impacts of oil and gas infrastructure, and understanding how tribal communities are adapting to climate change. Jessi is a member of the United Houma Nation, an Indigenous tribe located in south Louisiana and is passionate about protecting tribal communities everywhere. 

Jessi holds a BA and a Masters in Anthropology from Louisiana State University where she wrote her thesis on the effects of forced migration on her tribe the Houma. Having grown up in one of the most polluted states in the country that is also facing land loss faster than anywhere else in the continental United States she believes firmly in a quote by Amanda Nguyen, “Justice should not depend on geography.” She is excited to be part of the team at CIEL and to be working among others who care so deeply about protecting human rights and the environment. 

Jessi can be reached at jparfait@ciel.org