The Business of Politics - What Your Campaign Donations Actually Do

Are the political texts and emails driving you insane? Ever wonder how all that money is actually spent — and whether any of it works? Curious how campaigning has changed in the era of AI, data, and fractured media?

On October 22nd, the HBS Club of Seattle brings together three people deeply involved in raising and/or spending resources on campaigns for a candid, behind-the-scenes conversation about the mechanics of modern campaigns. Not the talking points. Not the debate. The business underneath it all — how resources are raised, where it goes, what the data actually tells us, and how the media environment has transformed the way campaigns are won and lost.

Suzi LeVine started her career at Microsoft and Expedia and then served as U.S. Ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein under President Obama. She has been a prominent volunteer working on Democratic campaigns and causes for over two decades. Inspired by her post-Ambassadorial work running large agencies overseeing the workforce systems for Washington State under Gov. Inslee and the United States under President Biden, she now teaches undergrads at the UW and Brown University about Harnessing the Power of the States. She will share her observations on how major donors apply their resources, how campaigns and political parties allocate it, and what separates a winning ground game from an expensive loss.

Chauncey Southworth is the CEO of Cross Screen Media, one of the leading firms working with political agencies on data, targeting, and media strategy. He brings a front-row view of how modern campaigns are planned and executed — and how the industry has evolved.

Sara Nelson co-founded Fremont Brewing in 2009, building it into one of Seattle's best-known craft breweries and a King County Business of the Year. She served on the Seattle City Council from 2022 to 2026, winning a citywide seat in 2021 and being chosen unanimously by her colleagues as Council President in 2024. She spent a decade as policy staff at City Hall before running for office herself, and she brings the candidate's side of the ledger — what a campaign actually costs, where the money goes, and what it takes to reach voters across an entire city.

Together, they'll pull back the curtain on what most people never see:

• ⁠Are political texts and emails actually effective — or just noise?

• ⁠Where campaign money actually goes, and what moves the needle vs. what doesn't

• ⁠What it actually costs to run a competitive local race — from the candidate's side

• ⁠How data and targeting have transformed campaign strategy

• ⁠How the media environment — from TV to streaming to social — has changed the game

• ⁠How AI is beginning to reshape political communication

• ⁠Audience Q&A: ask the questions political consultants rarely answer in public

This is not a partisan debate. It's a masterclass in strategic political resource allocation for anyone who's ever donated, hit "unsubscribe," or wondered what's really going on behind the campaign.

*Who's Invited:*

•⁠ ⁠HBS alumni (all programs)

•⁠ ⁠IvyPlus alumni (Stanford, Wharton, Booth, Columbia, MIT, Brown etc.)

•⁠ ⁠Harvard undergrad/grad alumni

•⁠ ⁠Your guests

*Event Details:*

Date: Thursday, October 22nd

Time: 5:30 PM

Place: Washington 1000 rooftop

Address: 1000 Olive Way, Seattle, WA 98101

Parking: There is a paid parking garage across the street from the venue at the Summit Garage at the Seattle Convention Center

Entrance: 1009 Olive Way, Seattle, WA 98101

Event Contacts

Tom Lapham - jit.tom@gmail.com‬

Kyle Buffenmyer - kylebuffenmyer@gmail.com - ‪+1.717.201.0064

Special thanks to; Hudson Pacific Properties whose state-of-the art office building, Washington 1000 is in the heart of Seattle’s Denny Triangle, located just steps away from Seattle Convention Center Summit, where Work Meets Wow! This stunning property includes lush outdoor areas, indoor workspaces awash in natural light, and modern design and amenities. Thank you to our valued partners at Hudson Pacific for making this space available and for hosting us!