FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SEATTLE, WA – Sept. 22, 2025 – Seattle mayoral candidates Bruce Harrell and Katie Wilson will participate in the city’s first-ever mayoral debate focused exclusively on women’s issues on Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025, at 7 p.m. The debate will be held at Raisbeck Auditorium at Cornish College of the Arts at Seattle University and is presented by Formidable and Seattle CityClub, in partnership with Seattle University.
FOX 13 is serving as the official television partner and will broadcast the debate live.
The debate will be co-moderated by Emily Parkhurst, CEO of Formidable, and Hana Kim, co-anchor at FOX 13. Discussion topics will center on issues of particular significance to women in Seattle, including public safety, economic opportunity, housing, education, and health care.
The program will feature questions from prominent women leaders representing key sectors of the community, including:
- Lynne Varner, CEO, Washington STEM
- Maria Chavez-Wilcox, CEO, YWCA King, Snohomish
- Rachel Horgan, Founder and Host, The Weekly
“This debate represents a pivotal moment for Seattle voters, elevating the voices and experiences of women while offering candidates the opportunity to address issues that profoundly impact our city,” said Emily Parkhurst, founder and CEO of Formidable, a Seattle-based media and membership organization focused on women leaders.
Attendance is free and open to the public with advance registration. Tickets are available at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1645079469979?aff=oddtdtcreator
Event Details:
- What: Seattle Mayoral Debate: Bruce Harrell vs. Katie Wilson
- Focus: Women’s Issues Impacting Seattle Communities
- Date & Time: Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025 | 7 p.m. (doors at 6 p.m.)
- Location: Raisbeck Auditorium, Cornish College of the Arts at Seattle University
- Presented by: Formidable and Seattle CityClub
- Sponsored by: Seattle University
- Broadcast Partner: FOX 13
About Formidable: Formidable is a media and membership organization aimed at high-level women leaders. The daily publication and podcast report the news through a women’s lens, while the exclusive networking group meets regularly to discuss important topics of interest to this demographic. Beformidable.com
About Seattle CityClub: Seattle CityClub is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization improving the civic health of the Puget Sound region by providing programs that bridge politics, sectors and generations to inform and engage residents and community leaders. Every year, Seattle CityClub programs serve more than 4,000 Puget Sound residents in person and an additional 26,00 residents through social media and website content. Seattlecityclub.org
About the moderators:
Hana Kim is the co-anchor of Seattle News Tonight for FOX 13. She is the station’s principal anchor for election coverage, political interviews and coverage of local government. She has been with FOX 13 for more than a decade, where she’s covered some of the region’s biggest events, including the Oso landslide and the I-5 Skagit River Bridge collapse. She has moderated several live political debates including races for Seattle mayor, Seattle City Council and Congress. She won an Emmy for spotlighting the issue of teen suicide and a second Emmy for anchoring breaking news. She also received Edward R. Murrow and Associated Press awards for uncovering an opioid pipeline from Tennessee to Florida.
Emily Parkhurst is a 20-year veteran of the media industry and a national award-winning journalist, having served as an education and government reporter in her home state of Maine before moving to Seattle to cover the tech community for the Puget Sound Business Journal. There, she rose through the ranks to become editor and then. She then stepped in as the head of content for national media startup 6AM City, where she oversaw the launch of 20 daily local news publications and tripled the business. Most recently, she served as interim president of Cornish College of the Arts, where she oversaw the strategic combination of the institution with Seattle University. She is also the founder and CEO of Formidable, which she launched to increase women’s voices in media.
We encourage the public to submit questions for the candidates via this online form.
For additional information or to register, please visit the ticket page.
Contact:
Jillian Raftery
Executive Producer
[email protected]
425-681-7502
