About RVI

Although Democrats and progressives are ready to address many of the issues facing rural America at a policy level, policy solutions alone will not solve the rural voter gap. The solution lies in how to communicate more effectively with rural voters.

The Rural Voter Institute brings a research-driven approach to better understand rural voters and develop communications tools that can improve outreach and outcomes as we work to engage these communities.

Our work started shortly after the 2016 election, when our team was asked by a non-partisan, national progressive group to analyze the impact of rural voters in the 2016 elections and explore ways to improve potential outcomes.

The result was an analysis of rural voter trends, a new paradigm for rural voter strategy, and a four-part approach to improving rural voter communications and outreach based on social science research and real-life case studies.

We continue to build on this analysis with the goal of providing even more in-depth resources and tools to help campaigns and organizations engage more productively with rural Americans.

Principals

Isaac Wright

Isaac Wright’s two decades as a communications operative and strategist in campaigns and public affairs include serving as a senior strategist in the election and re-election efforts of Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe and Missouri Governor Jay Nixon, both flipping state offices red to blue. Newspaper columnists have referred to Wright as “a Southerner trained in the culture and keen on how Democrats compete in the region.”

He has appeared as a political commentator on CBS News, Fox News Channel, CNN, POTUS Radio, Sky News, and many other outlets.

Previously, Wright served as executive director and chief operating officer of the principal research and rapid response Presidential 2016 SuperPAC effort, Correct the Record. Wright got his start in campaigns as the youngest member of the national communications staff on the Gore-Lieberman 2000 campaign. Wright’s experiences include numerous gubernatorial and federal campaigns. Wright served as an early primary state communications director for the Hillary Clinton campaign in 2007 and 2008.

Isaac was named to the American Association of Political Consultants “40 Under 40 Class of 2015” and he was honored as a “2011 Rising Star” by Campaigns and Elections Magazine.

An active believer in young people’s involvement in the political process, Wright is a former professional adviser to the Tennessee Federation of College Democrats and has guest lectured on strategic communications and political communications at five institutes of higher learning in Tennessee, Arkansas and South Carolina. Wright was honored as the University of Tennessee Public Relations Alumnus of 2014 and served a three-year term on the University of Tennessee Board of Visitors for the College of Communications.

Laura Nesson

Laura Nesson manages research for a wide range of political and advocacy clients, with a focus on delivering statistical, analytical, and tactical insights that inform our campaign strategy and creative process. A data-driven thinker, Laura ensures that all communication decisions are driven by the facts.

Laura’s professional expertise spans digital media, communications, and the performing arts. She grew up in South Dakota and now calls New York City home.

Megan Tran

Megan Tran is a first-generation college student. Her parents made great sacrifices for her family here in America, and she watched their hard work, determination, and drive to provide a better life for their family than they had in Vietnam.

Prior to pursuing her master’s degree in Communications and Information at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, Megan graduated from Winona State University in Minnesota. There, she majored in Advertising and doubled minored in Public Relations and Creative Digital Media.

Megan was a competitive gymnast for 15 years and competed for the Winona State Gymnastics team throughout her college career. She was an executive board member for the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), where she represented her team, led outreach programs for the community, and voted on new rules and regulations for the conference. SAAC encourages student-athletes to give back the community and helps them prepare for the future.

As the lead for digital content at FSSG, Megan brings her communications training, design skills, and deep knowledge of social media platforms to help clients break through the clutter and build engaged audiences. A constant learner, Megan loves diving into new challenges and finding creative angles to build winning campaigns.