Speaker Bio: Scott DeFife

National Restaurant Association
Executive Vice President, Policy & Government Affairs

Topics: Government affairs, public policy and advocacy communications

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Scott DeFife is the Executive Vice President, Policy & Government Affairs for the National Restaurant Association. In this key leadership role, DeFife oversees government affairs, public policy and advocacy communications for an association representing the nation’s second largest private sector employer, an industry with 13 million jobs, nearly one million restaurant and foodservice locations, and annual sales of more than $500 billion.

Before joining the Association, DeFife was the Senior Managing Director, Government Affairs for the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA). In that position he managed the federal and state legislative and lobbying efforts for one of the nation's leading financial services trade associations. For the past two years, DeFife was recognized as one of the “best lobbyists in the business for America’s business trade associations” by Capitol Hill’s newspaper, The Hill.

Prior to SIFMA, DeFife served as senior policy advisor to House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD), concentrating on financial services, tax, economic and energy issues. DeFife has deep Capitol Hill experience as legislative director to Congressman Bart Gordon (D-TN), legislative director and then staff director to former Congresswoman Karen McCarthy (D-MO), and policy advisor to former Congressman Mike Andrews, who was co-chairman of the bipartisan Congressional Sunbelt Caucus. Off the Hill, DeFife has extensive experience in advocacy and policy related to state and municipal government affairs, especially in the areas of energy, commerce, budget, tax and pension issues. He represented the American Public Power Association, the National Conference of State Legislatures, and served as Research Director in the State of Texas Office of State-Federal Relations.

DeFife received his BS from the University of Texas at Austin and a Masters of Public Affairs from the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs.

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