Alex Nason
Where do you live? Washington, D.C.
Current company and position? Harris-Walz Campaign - Irish American and Catholic National Engagement Director.
First job and what it taught me? My first job at the Democratic National Committee taught me the importance of coalition building. For me, there is something uniquely Irish in building community and fostering solidarity with others. Something that wasn’t as clear to me at the outset, is that communities are not monoliths. Groups that appear as homogeneous as Irish America are diverse, in their views and experience, and I learned that the constant evolution of perspectives is a sign of growth, not division. I came to understand that coalitions aren’t just about organizing for a candidate or a cause, but grow out of interpersonal relationships and engaging with people on a human-to-human level. I found that connecting with partners and voters alike, meant rising above the rhetoric and meeting people where they are. In those early stages, I discovered it doesn’t come without challenges; the hard work of incorporating multiple and often contradictory points of view, regardless of whether you agree with them or not, is an art form. It also involved advocating and going to bat for folks who felt unheard or left behind.
How do you embrace your Irish heritage? In my campaign role for the last year, embracing my Irish heritage was quite literally at the heart of my job. Leading Irish American outreach for the Harris-Walz campaign, my identity informed every aspect of my work. It shaped how I connected with communities, engaged with partners on the ground, and helped me frame policy and messaging. The past year highlighted for me that Irish heritage is about a lot more than tracing our roots back to that small island across the Atlantic, it’s about a shared value set. I continue to strive to uplift the American values that brought our Irish ancestors to these shores: decency, dignity, and equality, while also drawing on Ireland’s rich tradition of storytelling, solidarity, and resilience. My heritage is a core tenet of how I operate day to day, calling on me to listen deeply, value diverse perspectives, and grow a sense of community and shared purpose.
Something people would be surprised to know about me... When I first moved to the United States, as a young teenager living in Manhattan, I fell in love with the New York Yankees. Baseball became a cultural anchor, and offered a lens through which I could explore my new home. Overnight I grew into a bleacher creature, became religious about my pre-game rituals, donning my pin-covered hat and pinstripes, and eventually contributing to multiple Yankees publications. I fondly remember how the Bronx Irish were the first community to welcome me to New York.
Biography: Alex Nason is a political campaign strategist with a focus on coalition building, voter engagement, and public policy.
As the Irish American and Catholic National Engagement Director for the Biden-Harris & Harris-Walz campaigns, Alex launched and led national programming, media campaigns, and voter outreach across battleground states.
Previously, Alex worked at the Democratic National Committee, Platinum Advisors, the Office of Congressman Brendan Boyle, Lucy Lang for Manhattan DA, and the 2020 Biden campaign.
Alex is a proud native of Dublin, Ireland, and a graduate of New York University with a Bachelors of Arts in Political Science, French, and Irish studies.
