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August 20, 2025
NSSF Government Relations Team Profile: Paige Pearson
NSSF’s Government Relations Team is working hard on behalf of the entire firearm and ammunition industry, both at the federal level and at state capitals across the country. To give our members a better understanding of who is fighting for their businesses and Second Amendment rights every day, NSSF will periodically publish a Government Relations Team member profile. August’s NSSF GR Team profile is for Paige Pearson, Manager, Public Affairs.
1) What is your favorite hunting or recreational shooting sports activity?
That’s a hard one! I love shooting skeet, but I also enjoy the thrill of a really good day in the woods. While I haven’t hunted a ton, it’s still so rewarding to be able to put food in the freezer and try out new recipes. When I was working with Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (VA DWR), I created the “Fare Game” initiative to revamp our recipes – which meant I got to cook so many different things! I’d get to start in the woods and end up in the kitchen – really cool feeling to be able to harvest my own protein.
Being a part of this industry for the better part of 13 years, I have been lucky enough to experience many different hunting and shooting sports activities. At most meetings, there’s always an activity associated with it, so it has been truly rewarding to be able to participate in so many different things and have the mentorship from some of our industry leaders while hunting or shooting.
2) How did you become interested in professionally advocating for pro-firearm industry policies and Second Amendment rights?
I grew up in North Carolina and around firearms. My father participated in the shooting sports as well as many friends and family members, so it was a no-brainer when I saw the job posting from the Council to Advance Hunting and the Shooting Sports (CAHSS). I truly believe in and support the 2nd Amendment and the right to bear arms and feel completely honored to now be a part of NSSF where everyone is tirelessly working to defend our freedoms! I want to make sure that the shooting sports are around for future generations and that those freedoms are never taken for granted. It feels like the longer I’m in this industry, my support for pro-firearm policies and the 2nd Amendment becomes even stronger.
3) Describe your role within NSSF to the firearm industry community.
My role is a new one! The public affairs team is small but mighty – and recently expanded to needing one more person to help with writing blogs, press releases, keeping track of legislation and so much more. We have a big role here and are depended on to help when needed. We want to make sure that our voices, our members voices, and the pro-firearm folks have their voices heard. The PA team is also in charge of many events and initiatives. We handle the “Don’t Lie for the Other Guy” events and are always stepping in to help with any meetings and conferences. I will say, this amazing team at NSSF works together without being asked!
4) What is your favorite aspect of your role with NSSF while interacting with industry partners?
I love our partners and getting to work with so many different people. This industry, as a whole, are some of the most talented and supportive people I know. I used to tell people I was interviewing that you must support hunting and the shooting sports because we are a passion industry. Every person in this organization exudes support and passion for our sports. It’s truly so rewarding to be a part of NSSF and a part of the shooting sports community as a whole.
5) Describe your favorite “win” from your role/advocacy on behalf of the firearm industry.
When I was working with CAHSS, our Board of Directors consisted of all our industry leaders, state agency directors, CEOs/presidents, etc. They came together to build the organization to make sure that we have hunting and the shooting sports for future generations. With that, they decided that the time was right to focus on recruitment, retention and reactivation (R3) of hunting and shooting sports participants. We spent the next few years working with some chosen members of the industry to write the National R3 plan. We worked night and day to create a plan that would be able to support the needs of agencies and organizations to make sure we have these activities for future generations.
When we finally published the national plan, we received so much positive feedback that it made our efforts completely worth it. It’s still being used all these years later which makes me so proud; being a part of such a large-scale national effort is one of the highlights of my career, and getting to work with our amazing partners makes it even better.
6) What’s a favorite hobby or recreational activity outside of hunting or shooting sports?
I am a huge traveler and have been lucky enough to go all over the world (I don’t recommend Russia in the winter- brrr!) I love being on the boat or by the water- and lucky enough to have grown up so close to the beach that we spent every weekend there as kids.
I spent 10 years in Washington, D.C., without easy beach access, so now that I’m back in North Carolina, it’s just a quick trip down to the water! I’m probably there more than I’m at home! Even in the winter, being on the water and in the sunshine heals the soul – sounds cheesy, I know but it really does! If the sunscreen industry had stocks, I’d probably be making a killing!
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