NextGen America Announces Arianna Jones as New Executive Director, Kim Rubey as Board Chair

Youth vote org taps former Deputy Campaign Manager for Bernie Sanders’ Presidential campaign as new ED

Washington, D.C. – Today, NextGen America announced Arianna Jones as its new Executive Director and Kim Rubey as Chair of the Executive Board. Jones has spent the past decade working at the intersection of political campaigns, media, and advocacy. Rubey, who works with organizations focused on women’s empowerment and gender equity, has served on NextGen America’s board for almost two years.

As the organization ramps up ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, Jones will lead NextGen’s strategy to engage and mobilize young voters across campuses, communities, and digital platforms. She brings experience in campaign leadership, political communications, and large-scale voter engagement.

“Young people have been at the heart of every major political and cultural shift in this country,” said Arianna Jones, Executive Director of NextGen America. “For too long, they’ve been underestimated, underfunded, and talked at instead of listened to. Yet they continue to show up and lead. But their leadership is strongest when we give them something bold and meaningful to organize around. That’s why young voters deserve a politics that is honest, imaginative, and unafraid to have hope and build something new. It starts with meeting young people where they actually are – in culture, online, and on-the-ground on campus. I’m excited to help lead an organization like NextGen, that takes young people seriously as the force capable of reshaping our future.”

“I am honored to support and help grow NextGen America’s work and lead this organization into the future,” Kim Rubey, Board Chair of NextGen America said. “Our country is at a critical inflection point that requires intentional investment and fresh ideas. For too long, young people have not been prioritized or invested in by traditional politics, and I am excited to help NextGen America grow their work to engage, mobilize, and educate young people into the future.”

Jones most recently partnered with the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART) on strategies to educate and mobilize members around key issues. She previously served as Deputy Campaign Manager for Senator Bernie Sanders’ 2020 presidential campaign and as Deputy Communications Director on his 2016 run. She was Communications Director for Congressman Peter Welch and co-managed his successful 2022 Senate campaign. Earlier in her career, Jones spent years as a producer at MSNBC, where she centered stories from working-class communities and organized labor. She also served as Chief of Staff at NextGen America during the 2024 cycle.

Previously, Rubey was the global head of social impact and philanthropy at Airbnb, leading initiatives designed to mobilize the platform and its community for humanitarian and civic good. She previously held senior communications roles at Yahoo! and eBay and worked on several Democratic campaigns at the state and federal levels. Rubey currently serves on the boards of the Women Donors Network and StoryCorps and sits on the advisory board of Georgetown University’s College of Arts and Sciences in addition to her role at NextGen America. She is also a member of the Steering Committee for Electing Women Bay Area.

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About NextGen America

NextGen America is the leading national organization for engaging young people through voter education, registration and mobilization. We invite 18-to-29 year olds — the largest and most diverse generation in American history — into our democracy to ensure our government works for them and to find new solutions to the dire challenges facing our society and the world. Since 2013, NextGen America has registered over 1.6 million young voters, empowering the next generation to lead and drive lasting change.