Capitol Weekly’s Top 100: Jennifer Fearing

97. Jennifer Fearing

Almost everything about this list is BIG – big money, big clients, big egos. Oh my, the egos. But what about the little guys? What about interests not named Google or Meta or whatever deep pockets mega-corporation you like? Who stands up and fights for the nonprofits or for animals or for the environment? Who, other than the Lorax, will speak for the trees? And who does it even when defeat seems inevitable, if only to make damned sure the big guys don’t get to just win on autopilot? In this town that person is Jennifer Fearing, the acknowledged go-to lobbyist for all the little guys out there who need a champion. Fearing is the one they turn to first, and her impassioned and yet pragmatic approach is the gold standard for nonprofit advocacy. And beyond her own lobbying, nobody is better at bringing the always disparate nonprofit groups together in a common cause. Still not convinced? Then riddle me this – why do the big guys have to spend all that money on lobbying? We’ll answer. It’s because people like Jennifer Fearing are on the other side.

Updated August 26, 2025