Meet the Team
isaac james (he/him)
co-founder & Executive Director
Isaac James (he/him) is serving as the Executive Director of OutVote after co-founding the organization in 2024. As a proud Texan and 2022 graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, Isaac earned both a Master of Public Policy (MPP) and Master of Studies (MSt) from the University of Oxford, where he studied as a Rhodes Scholar. He previously interned in the Biden-Harris White House and staffed the Texas House LGBTQ Caucus, experiences that deepened his commitment to building power in marginalized communities.
Isaac is now based in Washington, D.C. Isaac can be reached at isaac@outvotehq.org.
ranen miao (he/him)
Co-Founder and Advisory Board Chair
Ranen serves as the Advisory Board Chair of OutVote after co-founding the organization in 2024. Originally from the great state of New Jersey, he received his Bachelor's degree at Washington University in St. Louis, where he also led the Pride Alliance, served two terms as student body president, and wrote his senior thesis on LGBTQ+ voting behaviors. Ranen has worked at the ACLU, EEOC, State Department, DC City Government, Brookings Institution, and on Capitol Hill, where he focused on HIV decriminalization and transgender rights in Missouri, employment non-discrimination protections, tackling LGBTQ+ hunger, and anti-LGBTQ+ amendments in the 2023 federal appropriations bill. He is a Truman and Point Scholar, and is currently completing a joint Masters of Public Affairs at Princeton and JD at Harvard. Ranen can be reached at ranen@outvotehq.org.
Kassie phebillo (she/her)
programming director
Kassie joins OutVote as the Programming Director with over ten years of experience at the intersection of higher education and civic engagement. In her career and research, she has prioritized uplifting the voices of young people in civic spaces. Most recently, she served as the Student Engagement Director for the Fair Elections Center’s Campus Vote Project, where she implemented a nationwide civic engagement curriculum and helped students think critically about engaging in civics from a nonpartisan perspective. Kassie currently serves as a director on the League of Women Voters - Texas Board and a Senior Fellow at the University of Maryland’s Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement.
Kassie has an MA in Communication, Culture & Technology from Georgetown University, a BA in Communication from Indiana Tech, and studied the intersection of higher education and political engagement in UT Austin’s Communication Studies PhD program.
Kassie lives in central Texas with her favorite people (her spouse, toddler, and brother-in-law), her pets (two cats and a dog), and any random friends who might pass through. Get in touch with Kassie at kassie@outvotehq.org.
Jess Hernandez (they/them)
Digital Director
Jess Hernandez (they/them) brings a wealth of digital communications experience to OutVote, having worked alongside numerous organizations through elections and SCOTUS cases. They graduated from the University of Florida in 2021 with a dual degree in Sustainability Studies and Economics and a minor in Women’s Studies, Jess brings experience within various movements, including immigration advocacy, labor rights, and LGBTQ+ advocacy, to OutVote. Every summer, you can find Jess volunteering with Camp Brave Trails, where they mentor LGBTQ+ youth and support the development of campers’ leadership skills.
Jess lives in Denver, CO with their spouse in a home full of pets: two cats and one Labrador Retriever puppy! You can reach Jess at jess@outvotehq.org.