01/17/2024
11 am PT / 12 pm MT / 1 pm CT / 2 pm ET
*approximate length: 45 minutes to 1 hour
Presenters:
Ted Thurn, Senior Director, Government Affairs, IREM
Rebecca O’Brien, Associate Executive Director, IREM Foundation
Hillary Vrba, Government Affairs Liaison, IREM
IREM’s Advocacy Impact Day in 2024 is expanding to a full day of programming, which will include environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) education, networking opportunities, and an advocacy orientation. On the programming day, attendees will not only learn about how to meet with their federal legislators and advocate for meaningful change but will also gain knowledge about one of the most significant issues affecting the property management industry – sustainability.
Join the IREM government affairs team and the IREM Foundation to learn more about IREM’s 2024 Advocacy Impact Day + ESG Summit on February 27th and 28th!
Learning objectives:
- A brief background on why IREM and the IREM Foundation are partnering on this new and exciting event
- Overview of the 2024 AID + ESG Summit program, including information on speakers and issues being brought to the hill
- Tips on how to identify legislators and conduct successful meetings with legislative offices

Ted Thurn is IREM’s Senior Director of Government Affairs.
Ted Thurn has worked in the association field for the past 20 years. During his time in government affairs, Ted has led all aspects of federal and state legislative advocacy efforts and has served as a key advisor on emerging federal and state legislative agendas. At IREM, Ted is responsible for a number of government affairs initiatives and provides strategic support and recommendation of actions to executive leadership.
Ted holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Saint Xavier University and a Master’s degree in Public Administration from DePaul University.

Hillary Vrba is IREM’s Government Affairs Liaison, Government Affairs
Hillary Vrba is IREM’s Government Affairs Liaison and is responsible for supporting the Senior Director in the successful execution of all advocacy-based initiatives and chapter services. Before joining the IREM team, Hillary worked in constituent services for an Illinois state Senator and as a senior staff member on several political campaigns.
Hillary has a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Economics from Purdue University and is currently pursuing her Master’s degree in Public Policy and Administration at Northwestern University.

Rebecca O’Brien is the IREM Foundation’s Associate Executive Director
Rebecca O’Brien is a mission driven professional with over 20 years of experience in for-profit and non-profit management. At the IREM Foundation, Rebecca is overseeing efforts to increase adoption of green initiatives within commercial real estate and increase access to careers for individuals from low income urban communities. The IREM Foundation is a 501c3 charitable organization who believes that “well managed real estate leads to thriving communities.”
Rebecca holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Eastern Michigan University and is an MBA Candidate at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.