J.D. Vance is an American author, venture capitalist, and politician who gained widespread recognition with his 2016 memoir Hillbilly Elegy, which explored his upbringing in a working-class family in Ohio and the broader struggles of Appalachia. Born in 1984, Vance's book became a bestseller and was adapted into a film by Netflix in 2020. He later transitioned into politics, running as a Republican and winning a U.S. Senate seat for Ohio in 2022. Before his political career, Vance worked in the technology and finance sectors, and his writings have contributed to discussions on class, social mobility, and economic issues in the U.S.