National Leadership Program, Summer 2015 – Summer 2017
James Trout was a Policy Fellow with RespectAbility from the summer of 2015 through the summer of 2017. Diagnosed with Asperger’s at age 15, Trout joined RespectAbility because he wants to work in an environment that helps people with disabilities successfully achieve employment. As a Policy Fellow, Trout spent months on the trail engaging presidential candidates in the early primary states. In addition, he conducted research on the campaign’s policies and creates contact databases. His reporting from the trail can be found on The RespectAbility Report.
Prior to joining RespectAbility, he held several internships including with Senator Charles E. Schumer and the Office of Emergency Management at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Trout has a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from American University. He has a Master’s degree from George Mason University in Transportation Policy Operations and Logistics.