About
Frances Sawyer
Frances Sawyer leads Pleiades Strategy where she advises mission-oriented organizations on strategic planning, policy research and design, and program management.
Sawyer formerly served as policy advisor to investor and philanthropist Tom Steyer and as Deputy Director of External Affairs to CA Governor Jerry Brown. In both roles, she focused on partnership development, storytelling, and intersectional policy design. At home at the intersection of big ideas and operational strategy, she has also served as chief of staff to the Internet Archive and the healthcare start-up, Detect. Sawyer earned her masters at the Yale School of the Environment. Her favorite hobby is picnicking.
Gentry Higgins
Gentry Higgins is Pleiades Strategy’s Climate and Clean Energy Policy Manager.
Gentry leverages her background in the power sector, building electrification, and equitable decarbonization strategies developed over years in philanthropy, politics, and climate tech to inform her work on issues related to the energy transition. Prior to joining Pleiades Strategy, Gentry honed her research, analysis and communications skills at the Energy Foundation, Carbon Lighthouse, and Our Children’s Trust.
Her favorite part of working on energy issues is having the opportunity to be in community with others who are passionate about bettering the lives of people and communities through increasing access to affordable, healthy power.
Margaret Xiao
Margaret is a junior fellow with Pleiades Strategy. In this role, Margaret brings together her research skills and interest in climate policy to support energy policy research. Margaret is a student at the University of Georgia, where she is pursuing a B.A. in Economics, B.A. in Ecology, and an Interdisciplinary Certificate in Sustainability.
Prior to joining Pleiades Strategy, Margaret has honed in on her public outreach, data analysis, and sustainability skills at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, Manomet, and through her involvement and courses at the University of Georgia. Her favorite hobbies are making coffee and reading.
Connor Gibson
Connor Gibson is a senior adviser to Pleiades Strategy and the founder of Grassrootbeer Investigations. He is an independent opposition researcher specialized in climate change deniers, fossil fuel lobbying, deceptive public relations, dishonest front groups, dark money, and all-things Koch. His research helps decipher and track multi-state legislative trends and campaigns that seek to hold back climate progress. He is a co-author of the Pleiades 2023 statehouse report and anti-ESG bill tracker.
Jackson
Jack is a three year old Australian Shepherd with boundless energy and a love of socks. He loves sitting outside at the cafe where he can get all the pets or leaping in the ocean waves. He loves visiting farms and rolling in mud, but when night comes and the spooky sounds of nature call out, he lets us know that he’s not really a farm dog, but just plays one in the movies.