The Rhodes Scholar and White House alum aims to close “the participation gap in American democracy” as Gen Z claims a larger share of the nation’s electorate

Washington, D.C. – OutVote, the nation’s only Gen Z-led nonprofit organization dedicated to educating and mobilizing LGBTQ+ Gen-Z voters, today announced Isaac James, 25, as the organization’s first Executive Director.

“There’s not a more urgent or hopeful time to lead OutVote and further its mission of closing the participation gap in American democracy,” said Isaac James, Executive Director. “As youth turnout declines and democracy feels fragile, young LGBTQ+ people are stepping up to organize in their communities, mobilize their peers, and shape the future of our country. OutVote exists to make civic engagement a shared, lifelong habit – not just a moment every four years.”

Under James’s leadership, OutVote is expanding its mobilization programs in Virginia and New Jersey ahead of the 2025 elections and rapidly scaling for increased reach in 2026. The organization’s OutVote Fellowship trains and pays young LGBTQ+ organizers to mobilize their communities, while the OutVote Action Network connects LGBTQ+ Gen-Z voters nationwide. To date, OutVote has reached over 1 million young LGBTQ+ voters and made over 10,000 direct voter contacts. 

“Isaac brings the rare mix of vision, strategy, and heart that this moment demands,” said Ranen Miao, Co-Founder and Chair of OutVote’s Advisory Board. “His leadership, our vision, and this team is building OutVote into a national force, one that reflects the courage, compassion, and creativity of Gen Z.”

Prior to his appointment as Executive Director, James co-founded OutVote while a Rhodes Scholar at the University of Oxford, where he earned a Master of Public Policy. A native Texan, James previously served in the Biden-Harris White House Presidential Personnel Office and with the Texas House LGBTQ Caucus.

OutVote’s work is supported by the Gill Foundation, Vote Save America, and the Human Rights Campaign, among others. The organization will continue scaling through 2026, with plans to expand into additional states.

To learn more or support OutVote’s mission, visit outvotehq.org or follow @outvotehq on social media.