by Joe Olivieri
Wherever political decisions are being made in Texas, the Texas REALTORS® Governmental Affairs department is there, protecting the interests of the real estate industry and property owners.
The department is perhaps best known for its boots-on-the-ground advocacy and political involvement. Major events such as REALTOR® Day at the Texas Capitol draw thousands of members to lobby elected officials. Behind the scenes, department members review every legislative bill, amendment, and regulation as part of its public policy work. They draft position points and talking points, as well as maintain databases of contacts and public officials.
The Texas REALTORS® Political Action Committee, TREPAC, is renowned statewide—and nationally—for its fundraising and member engagement. TREPAC had a banner year in 2020-21, with 44% of members participating and an all-time record of more than $5.8 million raised. Those funds are distributed to candidates and officials who support private property rights, homeownership issues, and the real estate industry.
“A big part of our job is educating members why they should invest in TREPAC,” says TREPAC Director Leslie Cantu. “Everyone has that ah ha moment where they see the benefit of what we do. We try to build a culture where REALTORS® continue to invest in good times and bad. We pride ourselves on being the largest PAC in the state of Texas.”
During this spring’s legislative session, Governmental Affairs called on members to share their HOA stories with representatives. New HOA reforms were a major victory for Texas REALTORS® and all Texans. The expansion of broadband internet was another success from earlier this year.
Governmental Affairs’ efforts aren’t limited to the Texas Capitol. You may be surprised to learn that the department is hard at work on local and regional issues through the association’s Issues Mobilization program, which helps local associations that have identified local ordinances that could affect all members or property owners.
Those targeted campaigns—from opposing the expansion of a Waco landfill to featuring garden gnomes in marketing to fight a proposed ordinance limiting lawn decorations in Leon Valley—can be some of the most fun and colorful projects, says Jaime Lee, director of advocacy communications.
"Anyone in GA will tell you that we love getting calls from members, even if they're upset about a particular issue and want to vent. We want passionate people; they make the best advocates. Or we could put them through candidate training or urge them to volunteer for a committee and maybe they themselves can make the difference they’re seeking,” Lee says.
Key to those efforts are the department’s field representatives, who identify and recruit REALTORS® to take part in programs and campaigns. They develop and direct grassroots political plans for local associations. They educate and assist local governmental affairs and TREPAC committees and help local associations with PAC fundraising plans and events.
“We have an excellent team. For me, the most attractive part of coming to Texas REALTORS® was working with this team. The team we’ve assembled are absolute experts, the go-to people for their subject matters,” says Tray Bates, vice president of governmental affairs.
“What we do depends on the cooperation and support from all the rest of the association and any successes are shared by the contributions from all staff members.”
The team is highly collaborative and proud of its work; team members say it is particularly gratifying to know you helped to change a law or stop something that would harm association members’ livelihoods. The team’s sense of humor and creativity can be seen in its pop-culture skewering PAC commercials and culture-building social fundraisers like volleyball tournaments and 5Ks.
The 18-member team is:
Brandon Alderete, director of political affairs, enjoys yoga and watching live sports and live music. He speaks “very rusty” Spanish and Portuguese. He is a staunch advocate of the Oxford comma.
Tray Bates, vice president of governmental affairs, is a big fan of Scouting, fly fishing, and the great outdoors. He is also an avid fly tyer in his spare time.
Dahlia Brown, director of field operations and Gulf Coast field representative, enjoys cooking, exercise, and spending time with her family, especially at the beach.
Veronica Canales, TREPAC coordinator, loves to travel. Her favorite place she has traveled to is Iceland.
Leslie Cantu, TREPAC director, danced on a live TV show in Hong Kong after being chosen from a high school dance competition. Outside of work, all of her time is spent with her kids and kids sports.
Nathan Catey, Central Texas field representative, is obsessed with maps and traveling. He studied abroad in China and can draw a map of the U.S. freehand.
Pete Craig, East Texas field representative, enjoys connecting people, spending time with great grandkids, working outdoors, hunting, and graveyard working.
Madeline Curry, TREPAC staff accountant, has been playing piano for 15 years, reads about 75 books a year, and loves hiking. She was born and raised on a ranch in Alberta, Canada, and has traveled to 17 countries.
Andrea Friedman, associate director of TREPAC, is originally from Albuquerque, New Mexico, and always got excited when Bugs Bunny would say, “I knew I should have made that left turn at Albuquerque!”
Seth Juergens, public policy analyst, says pineapple belongs on pizza, while eggs do not belong on burgers.
Jaime Lee, director of advocacy communications, is an active member of the Friends of the Buda Library and a volunteer advocate for heart issues on behalf of her busy toddler, Carter.
Ashley Liles, TREPAC manager, loves traveling, HBO shows, and bodies of water – oceans, pools, and lakes, in that order.
Josh McDaniel, North Texas field representative, was the youngest person backstage at an Aerosmith concert at the age of 9. “I wrote a fan letter and lead singer Steven Tyler called my house, then invited us backstage!” he says.
Cullen Neely, South Texas field representative, loves to travel and eat different crazy types of food. He once went scuba diving around the Phi Phi islands in Thailand and then met a rescued elephant.
Julia Parenteau, director of public policy, collects vintage campaign buttons, has dabbled in aerial silks, and can drive a stick shift.
Joanna Ramirez, political affairs specialist, is very artistic and spends a lot of her free time crafting and making artwork. She is obsessed with her dogs but in January she gets “a promotion from dog mom to baby girl mom!”
Michael Reeves, West Texas field representative, first became interested in politics when the Watergate hearings preempted Sesame Street. He enjoys attending heavy metal concerts and Texas Tech home football games with his wife of 30 years.
Jami Sims, governmental affairs program manager, likes museums and dogs.
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