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Zach Iscol

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Zach Iskol
File:AS-Iscol.jpg
Zach Iskol in 2017
Born1978 (age 45–46)
Pound Ridge, New York
NationalityAmerican
Alma materCornell University
Political partyDemocratic
Children4
AwardsBronze Star Medal

Zach Iscol (born in 1978) is an American entrepreneur and former United States Marine.[1][2] He is a Democratic candidate in the 2021 New York City Mayoral election.

Early and personal life

Iscol was born in Pound Ridge, New York, and grew up in Westchester, New York next to the Ward Pound Ridge Reservation.[3][4][5] His father Ken Iscol, the son of a Queens sanitation department worker, is a cellphone technology entrepreneur.[6][7][8] His mother Jill Iscol is an educator.[9][10]

Iscol attended New Canaan Country School, class of 1994.[4] He received the New Canaan Country School Alumni Award, for being a lifelong learner with the courage and confidence to make a positive contribution to the world."[11]

He then attended Phillips Exeter Academy, class of 1997.[4][12] He was honored by Phillips Exeter with the 2017 John Phillips Award for his seeking to aid veterans gain access to mental health care and employment.[12][13]

He attended Cornell University, class of 2001, where Iscol majored in Government and competed in lightweight football.[10][5] He has lived in New York City since 2009, lives in NoHo in Manhattan with his wife, former Vogue editor Meredith Melling whom he married in 2016, and their four children.[14][8][15][7]

Career

Iscol served two tours and fought in Iraq from 2001 to 2007 as a special ops Captain in the U.S. Marine Corps, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines.[7][16][15][5][17] During his service in Iraq in the Iraq War, he fought in the Second Battle of Fallujah.[15] He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for bravery.[12] After returning from Iraq, he successfully lobbied to bring his threatened Iraqi translator to the United States.[18] In 2019, he was named to be one of five Grand Marshals leading the New York City Veterans Day Parade; .[19][20]

He later returned again to Iraq to make a film, The Western Front, which was shown at the 2010 Tribeca Film Festival, and explored in what ways the US changed its tactics in Iraq over time.[3][21] Iscol served as screenwriter, cast, director, and producer.[22]

Iscol then launched the Headstrong Project in 2012, a nonprofit organization that provides veterans and their families in 25 cities with free mental health care, and is its former Chairman.[8][17] Iscol also founded and is the CEO of Task & Purpose, a military-focused digital media company, serving as a hiring platform for former military members, and news outlet.[23][8]

He worked as Deputy Director at the Javits Center's COVID-19 temporary emergency hospital during the Spring 2020 height of the pandemic in New York City.[17][8]

Iscol is one of a number of candidates looking to succeed New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, having launched his campaign in the 2021 New York City Mayoral election on October 21, 2020, and is entered in the June 22, 2021, Democratic primary.[7][24][25][8][17][5] He proposes involving the New York City tech community in educating young students, involving the real estate industry in providing affordable housing in properties left vacant by COVID-19, bolstering restaurants by waiving fines except for the worst violations, and keeping the subway closed down every night for cleaning.[15] Iscol said that post-pandemic, the city will need programs to educate New Yorkers about mental health and effectively address mental illness.[17] New York City's last mayor with a military background was David Dinkins, a Marine veteran who was mayor from 1990 to 1993.[5] His campaign staff includes Joe Trippi, a national political strategist.[8]

References

  1. ^ "Zack Iscol, Veteran and Entrepreneur, Joins NYC Mayor's Race," U.S. News & World Report, October 20, 2020.
  2. ^ Jeff Coltin (December 31, 2020). "The major 2021 mayoral contenders". City & State.
  3. ^ a b McKinney, Michael P. (November 8, 2019). "Pound Ridge native who fought in Fallujah is a grand marshal of NYC Veterans Day Parade". The Journal News.
  4. ^ a b c "NCCS Grad, Zach Iscol '94 to Lead NYC Veteran's Day Parade; The marine veteran is the founder of three organizations serving post-9/11 veterans". Patch. November 8, 2019.
  5. ^ a b c d e Sisk, Richard (December 17, 2020). "From Fallujah to City Hall: A Marine's Uphill Run to Be Mayor of New York". Military.com.
  6. ^ Chizzik, Danielle Stein (May 11, 2016). "Meredith Melling and Zach Iscol Have Made Service a Family Affair; The T&C 50: The couple are working to get top notch mental health care to veterans". Town & Country.
  7. ^ a b c d Marsh, Julia (July 31, 2020). "Decorated combat vet with ties to Hillary Clinton considering NYC mayoral bid". The New York Post.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g Jeff Coltin (October 23, 2020). "Zach Iscol wants to be a cross between Bloomberg and de Blasio". City & State.
  9. ^ "US Marine vet with ties to Clintons may run for NYC mayor". 1010 WINS. August 1, 2020.
  10. ^ a b Burstein, David D. (January 13, 2011). "Change Generation: Zach Iscol, Writer, Director, and Producer, The Western Front". Fast Company.
  11. ^ Rachel Etlinger (May 19, 2015). "Marine Officer, Iraq Veteran and Entrepreneur, Zach Iscol, to Receive 2015 New Canaan Alumni Award". Patch.
  12. ^ a b c Melanie Wilson (October 29, 2017). "Zachary Iscol '97 receives the 2017 John Phillips Award; Combat-decorated former Marine Corps officer was honored for his efforts to help veterans gain access to quality mental health care and employment". Phillips Exeter Academy.
  13. ^ "Combat decorated former Marine officer, Zach Iscol," U.S. House of Representatives Document Repository, June 7, 2017.
  14. ^ Marsh, Julia (October 19, 2020). "Combat vet makes City Hall bid official, rips de Blasio's competency". The New York Post.
  15. ^ a b c d Marsh, Julia (November 1, 2020). "Ex-Marine runs for NYC mayor vowing budget discipline, private partnerships". The New York Post.
  16. ^ Michael Rock (October 22, 2020). "Iscol Continues Public Service Career with Run for Mayor". New York County Politics.
  17. ^ a b c d e Shanel Dawson (December 19, 2020). "Meet the Candidate: Former Marine Zach Iscol Talks Police Reform, Mental Health and Pandemic Recovery". NY1.
  18. ^ "Marine Wins Personal Iraq Battle; After aiding the U.S. military, an Iraqi translator seeks refuge in New York". ABC News. November 2, 2007.
  19. ^ "Zachary Iscol on veterans and mental health". FOX News. November 7, 2019.
  20. ^ "Zachary Iscol who fought in Iraq will be a grand marshal of NYC Veterans Day Parade; Zachary Iscol did two tours of duty as a Marine officer in Iraq, including as one of 12,000 U.S. Marines and Army who fought in Fallujah". The Journal News. November 8, 2019.
  21. ^ "Zachary Iscol". The Daily Beast.
  22. ^ "The Western Front | 2010 Tribeca Film Festival". Tribeca Film.
  23. ^ Murphy, Jarrett (November 12, 2020). "Meet the Former Marine and the Brooklyn Councilmember Who Are Running for Mayor". City Limits.
  24. ^ Max, Ben (November 12, 2020). "Max & Murphy Podcast: Zach Iscol is Running for Mayor". Gotham Gazette.
  25. ^ "Zach Iscol, Veteran And Entrepreneur, Joins Crowded NYC Mayoral Race; Iscol, the former Marine who spent time in Iraq and later founded a mental health program for veterans, becomes the latest to enter the mayor race". NBC News. October 20, 2020.


Category:21st-century American politicians Category:Living people Category:New York (state) Democrats Category:People from Pound Ridge, New York Category:People from Manhattan Category:Phillips Exeter Academy alumni Category:Cornell University alumni Category:United States Marine Corps personnel of the Iraq War Category:United States Marine Corps officers Category:21st-century American screenwriters Category:American documentary film directors Category:American documentary film producers Category:American nonprofit chief executives


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