Meet Eric Jones
Living the American Dream, Fighting to Restore It
Eric Jones knows what it’s like to struggle — and what it’s like to seize opportunity. Raised in an enlisted military family before going to college on a full scholarship, Eric built a firm that created thousands of jobs in Northern California. But his path wasn’t easy. His father battled chronic health problems, his family navigated rising costs, and Eric worked his way through school. Those experiences shaped his belief that the American Dream must be restored for every family.
Growing Up in a Military Family
Eric grew up with discipline, service, and sacrifice as guiding values. His father’s repeated health struggles meant Eric saw firsthand how fragile life can be — and how critical affordable health care, stability, and community support are to working families.
Becoming a First-Generation College Graduate
Eric worked his way through school and was a first generation college graduate from Yale University. Education opened doors — and cemented his belief that opportunity must be accessible, not reserved for the wealthy.
Building a Career Helping Companies Grow — and Lowering Costs for Families
Eric spent his business career helping more companies grow, creating jobs, and delivering services that made life more affordable. Some standouts include:
Maven Clinic – expanding access to affordable women’s health care
Lyra Health – making mental health care accessible to millions
Duolingo – offering low-cost and free education to people around the world
Mercado Libre — enabling market access for millions of small businesses across Latin America
Chime — helping families avoid predatory banking fees and build financial stability
His business career wasn’t about profits — it was about solving problems and expanding opportunity.
Giving Back: Supporting Veterans, Mothers, and Local Communities
Eric and his wife founded the Rachel and Eric Jones Foundation to turn their family values into action. The foundation has focused on supporting veterans, helping mothers and families in need, and strengthening local institutions that bring communities together.
Through their work, they have:
Supported veterans and military families
Provided car seats and essential supplies to new mothers
Helped restore the Journey Theatre as a community arts and gathering space
Raised over $10 million during COVID to support low-income families across Northern California
For Eric, service isn’t a slogan — it’s a responsibility.
Founding a Nonprofit to Protect American Democracy
Eric founded the American Dream Institute, a nonprofit organization committed to countering partisan extremism, political disinformation, and the forces that seek to undermine democracy, while promoting a forward-looking, aspirational vision for the country.
Under Eric’s leadership, the Institute has:
Reached millions online with fact-based education and civic engagement initiatives, helping people separate truth from misinformation in politics and media.
Amplified underrepresented voices, ensuring that diverse communities have a platform to participate in the democratic process.
Supported local and national initiatives that strengthen civic institutions, promote transparency, and hold powerful interests accountable.
Built campaigns and partnerships that expose extremist influence, defend democratic norms, and engage citizens in constructive solutions rather than fear-driven politics.
The American Dream Institute is a natural extension of Eric’s life’s work: protecting communities, defending the integrity of our democracy, and standing up to powerful corporations and actors that profit from division. Through education, advocacy, and grassroots organizing, the Institute translates Eric’s values — fairness, accountability, and opportunity — into measurable impact for communities across the country.
Raising His Family in a Community That Reflects His Values
Eric is raising his family in District 4 — a region he has been connected to for years and that embodies the values he was raised with: service, hard work, and looking out for one another. The North Bay has always felt like home to him, a place where community comes first and families support each other through challenges and opportunities alike.
As he became a father, those values took on even deeper meaning. Eric wanted his son to grow up in a community defined by possibility, fairness, and a genuine sense of belonging — the very qualities he has always admired in District 4. His commitment to the region has only continued to grow, and he has spent years engaging with local leaders, families, and organizations working to strengthen the fabric of the community.
Whether supporting efforts that help young people succeed, working alongside families and workers, or lending his experience to initiatives that expand opportunity, Eric has been deeply invested in the future of the district. It’s not just where he lives — it’s where he’s chosen to build a future for his family and where he’s dedicated himself to helping the community thrive for generations to come.
Why He’s Running for Congress
Eric isn’t running for political reasons — he’s running because the people who caused this affordability crisis aren’t going to fix it.
“If our politics was actually working for us, I wouldn’t be doing this. I created and expand healthcare access across our country and helped families directly in my community. Now I’m ready to bring that problem-solving mindset to Washington.” — Eric
Eric is running to restore the American Dream through aspiration, affordability, and accountability — and to make sure leaders finally put people ahead of corporations.