We are proud to be non-partisan and conduct our advocacy programs as activists without a Political Action Committee (PAC). Our policy, which covers many topics affecting the daily lives of rural Americans, covers Agriculture, Conservation, Education and Health, as well as Communication issues, and is established through a system of negotiation and civic debate. Our members introduce resolutions at their State Grange Annual Sessions. These resolutions are assigned to committee, debated, amended and voted on just as in a legislature. Those that pass seek the same fate at our National Grange Convention Session held once a year. The resolutions that pass this final process become our policy that is implemented and supported by our Grassroots and Advocacy Programs. Issue-based Fly-Ins are held at least once a year in Washington, D.C., as well as State Legislative Days around individual state capitols.
The Director
Nicole Palya Wood
Legislative Director
National Grange of the Order
of the Patrons of Husbandry
On August 5, 2010, The National Grange welcomed Nicole Palya Wood as their new Legislative Director. Nicole brings to the organization over 13 years of government affairs experience in both the Congressional and State arenas, and has a self-proclaimed passion for the legislative process.
A native of Virginia, Nicole graduated from James Madison University with a B.S. in Political Science and caught the bug for legislative affairs while working as a legislative aide for Senator Frank Ruff in the Virginia State Legislature. She would later utilize her state legislative expertise to represent the National Rifle Association as a State Lobbyist in the Southern Region, as well as serving as a Manager of State Government Affairs for TAP Pharmaceuticals in the Mid-Atlantic.
On the Federal side, Nicole served as the Director of Legislative Affairs for the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta, lobbying the House Financial Services and Senate Banking Committees. She continued with her work on housing and community banking issues as the Senior Lobbyist for America’s Community Bankers, where she also served as a resource on farm credit issues.
When not on the Hill, Nicole enjoys getting out on the water with her New Zealand-native husband, Campbell, and their Anatolian Shepherd and Rhodesian Ridgeback. Nicole also enjoys serving as a volunteer for The Campagna Center mentoring programs, where she has been appointed as a board member since 2007. Nicole and her husband live in Alexandria, Virginia just around the corner from George & Martha Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate.