Staging for Advocacy Success

Victoria Gillespie (L) and Shannon McGahn (R)

NAR took another step forward to ensure that your interests are heard in Washington with the announcement of Shannon McGahn. As senior vice president of government affairs, Shannon will report to chief advocacy officer Bill Malkasian. In addition, Victoria Gillespie was named NAR’s chief marketing and communications officer. We’re excited to welcome these powerhouse additions to NAR’s senior staff leadership.

We understand there might be concerns about Shannon having worked for members of Congress that were opposed to NAR’s agenda to protect incentives for real estate. Continuing our commitment to being open and transparent, we conducted a thorough, exhaustive process, and Shannon McGahn emerged as the clear choice. This included the creation of an advisory board that included a diverse array of association leadership from the national, state and local levels, as well as D.C.- based political consultants to guide us through the process. Advisory board members represented Republicans, Democrats, and Independents, ensuring our decision would have input from the broader opinions of our membership and this industry. And we were thrilled when she informed us of her decision to accept the offer to become this association’s next senior vice president of government affairs.

We are excited that Shannon is committed to advancing innovative, 21st century approaches to advocacy. In today’s political climate, this is more important than ever. The dynamic in Washington has changed, and we must evolve if we are going to maintain our significant influence in the nation’s capital. Shannon McGahn’s leadership, direction, and focus will ensure NAR remains America’s most prominent government affairs group.

We look forward to seeing everyone at the 2018 REALTORS® Conference & Expo in Boston in a few weeks. And hope everyone tunes in on Nov. 6 and 7 for the REALTOR® Party’s election coverage and post-election Facebook Live, where you’ll get to hear from Shannon directly. Don’t forget to sign our pledge to vote, and to head to the polls on Nov. 6.