The Power of Advocacy in Economic Development

The Power of Advocacy in Economic Development

How NAIOP Gulf Coast Is Building Momentum Through Policy, Partnership, and Regional Leadership

Economic development starts with policy conversations, data, and people willing to show up long before a project is visible.

That reality is at the center of this episode of The Comms Exchange, where hosts Rachel Ledet and Christianne Brunini sit down with Melissa Warren, Senior Advisor and Market Leader at Stirling Properties and President of NAIOP Gulf Coast. In just one year, NAIOP Gulf Coast has grown to more than 100 members and emerged as one of the fastest-growing chapters in the country. That growth, Melissa explains, is rooted in advocacy and a clear understanding of how development actually happens.

“We didn’t have a canopy where everyone involved in development could come together,” Melissa said. “Developers, brokers, architects, engineers, economic development leaders. NAIOP became the place where all those links in the chain could connect.”

Advocacy Is Not an Add-On. It Is the Work.

For Melissa, advocacy is not separate from commercial real estate. It is the mechanism that allows projects to move forward at all.

NAIOP operates across municipal, state, and federal levels, advocating on issues that directly affect development feasibility. Melissa outlined several priorities currently shaping NAIOP’s work, including adaptive reuse, tax policy, energy capacity, and infrastructure.

“Data centers and manufacturing don’t work without power,” she noted. “Energy and electricity policy is one of the biggest issues we’re facing right now, and it’s something NAIOP is actively working on at every level.”

That layered approach matters. National policy informs state action, which directly affects local permitting, infrastructure investment, and timelines. Advocacy fills the gaps between those systems.

Where Policy Meets Quality of Life

One of the most tangible examples Melissa shared was NAIOP Gulf Coast’s engagement around local ballot measures tied to infrastructure funding in New Orleans.

“When development is backed by strong infrastructure policy, everybody benefits,” she said. “Drainage, flooding, sustainability. These aren’t abstract issues. They affect whether people can live and work in a place long term.”

NAIOP Gulf Coast is issuing white papers and aligning with research organizations like GNO Inc. and the Bureau of Governmental Research to help members and policymakers understand the implications of these decisions. This work goes beyond development interests. It directly connects policy outcomes to livability, resilience, and economic stability.

“That’s where development meets residential life,” Melissa said. “And that’s where advocacy really matters.”

Regional Collaboration Along the Gulf Coast

Another defining feature of NAIOP Gulf Coast’s success is its regional mindset. Covering coastal Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, the chapter reflects how the economy actually functions along the I-10 corridor.

“We’re more connected to each other along the coast than we are to the northern parts of our states,” Melissa explained. “Insurance, hurricanes, ports, energy. These challenges don’t stop at state lines.”

By sharing research and aligning advocacy efforts with partners in Mobile, Baton Rouge, and beyond, NAIOP Gulf Coast strengthens its collective voice. That collaboration allows regions to compete nationally while supporting one another locally.

Mentorship, Allies, and Building the Pipeline

Melissa’s own career began with someone else seeing potential and opening a door. That experience shapes how she thinks about leadership today.

“It takes a village to succeed,” she said. “And it takes allies. Not just mentors who look like you or come from the same background, but people who are willing to lift you up and advocate for you when you’re not in the room.”

She emphasized that strong advocacy organizations invest in diverse leadership and mentorship because better representation leads to better decision-making.

“When you have different thinkers at the table, you get a more complete picture,” Melissa said. “That’s how you build something that lasts.”

Advocacy Is a Long Game

Advocacy requires patience, consistency, and confidence that the work will pay off.

“Be patient,” Melissa said, reflecting on the advice she would give her younger self. “It’s all going to come full circle. What you’re building will bloom.”

That long-term view is exactly what has positioned NAIOP Gulf Coast for sustained impact. By investing early in relationships, research, and communication, the chapter has built momentum that extends well beyond its first year.

Turning Advocacy Into Action

At its core, this conversation reinforces a simple truth: economic development works when people, policy, and communication are aligned.

NAIOP Gulf Coast’s rapid growth is not an accident. It is the result of intentional advocacy, regional collaboration, and leadership that understands how development decisions ripple through communities.

Listen to this week’s episode of The Comms Exchange, The Power of Advocacy: Building the Fastest Growing Economic Development Chapter in the Country, featuring Stirling Senior Advisor & Market Leader and NAIOP Gulf Coast President Melissa Warren.

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