Jason Kander

President of National Expansion @ Veterans Community Project

About

I'm an Afghanistan Veteran, a former Missouri Secretary of State, and a guy who kind of ran for president for a minute. Today, I'm the president of national expansion at Veterans Community Project, the co-host of an award-winning podcast, a two-time bestselling author, and the founder of American Rescue Project. I'm also a men’s amateur baseball player, and an occasional little league coach. After I came home from Afghanistan, much of what I did in my civilian career was to set myself up to do something else. I stopped thinking that way in 2018 when I entered therapy at the VA for post-traumatic stress. Today, I consider myself to be living proof that post-traumatic growth is achievable. And while my mental health diagnosis does not limit or hinder my professional options in any way, it did create one permanent change in my thinking: I no longer do anything so that I can do something else. If I take something on, it's because I care about it, or because I enjoy it, and for no other reason.

Country

United States

City

Kansas City

Industry

Non-profit Organization Management

Skill

Experience

President of National Expansion

Veterans Community Project

2019 - Present · 7 yrs

Veterans Community Project refuses to let any Veteran fall through the cracks. From providing housing to offering walk-in support services, we’re here for everyone who took the oath to serve America. Founded by combat Veterans in Kansas City, Missouri, VCP is now expanding nationally. Our campuses include an Outreach Center to provide wrap-around services to all Veterans and a village of tiny houses with a community center and comprehensive case management to transition homeless Veterans into permanent housing.

Podcast Host

Majority54

2017 - Present · 9 yrs

An award-winning weekly primer that helps the majority of Americans who voted for progress talk some sense into their friends & family. Co-hosts Jason Kander and Ravi Gupta draw on their experience winning progressive campaigns in red states to give you the tools necessary to combat the latest in misinformation, propaganda, and whatever your right-wing co-worker saw on Facebook.

Founder

American Rescue Project (formerly Afghan Rescue Project)

2021-8 - Present · 5 yrs 2 mos

In 2021, during the fall of Kabul, Afghan Rescue Project was founded to save Afghans I and a few friends had personally served alongside from brutal Taliban retribution. We began with Operation Bella, a 4 day fake wedding in Mazar-i-Sharif and a getaway flight, covertly evacuating 75 Afghan allies and their families. After that first successful operation, Afghan Rescue Project continued its work and went on to play a crucial role in the successful evacuation of more than 2,000 at-risk Afghan men, women, and children. Today, in addition to continued work supporting Afghan evacuations and resettlements, ARP (now known as American Rescue Project) is also active in Ukraine. ARP provides lifesaving first aid training, equipment, and technology to first responders and hospital personnel. The American Rescue Project is an agile non-profit dedicated to making a difference in this world by inserting ourselves into the fray and doing the thing that needs to be done when governments and larger organizations cannot or will not assist in a crisis.

Founder/President

Let America Vote

2017 - 2019 · 2 yrs

Let America Vote fights for voting rights by creating political consequences for voter suppression. In 2020, Let America Vote merged with End Citizens United to form one of the largest pro-democracy political organizations in the United States.