Biography:

Marsha Padilla is NRF’s Senior Director, Grassroots and Industry Relations. Her primary duties include organizing NRF’s grassroots efforts, Political Action Committee fundraising and compliance. She also serves as liaison to the state retail associations on a wide range of industry matters.

In 2001, Padilla developed the NRF Retail Action Network. The Retail Action Network is a critical component of NRF's grassroots program designed to help retailers have a greater voice in public policy. It is a voluntary network of retailers motivated to influence the outcome of legislation.  Since its establishment in 2001, the NRF Retail Action Network has grown to over 20,000 retail participants nationwide who are eager to act on the industry’s behalf.

Padilla is also the creator of the NRF Retail Industry Education Forum.  Planned and organized together with state retail associations and local chambers of commerce this forum is designed to bring members of Congress together with the retail community to discuss issues that affect the industry. These events, held in the form of breakfast meetings at stores, restaurants and shopping malls, give lawmakers a chance to establish new relationships or strengthen existing ones, along with an opportunity to outline their views on business issues and hear retailers' concerns.