Smart Minds. Big Ideas.
Bold Solutions
for Seattle’s Future.
Seattle’s potential is limitless. We have the talent, innovation, natural beauty, and economic strength to thrive. Yet, our challenges remain complex and urgent.
But our opportunities are even greater.
When sharp minds come together, focused on real solutions, nothing is out of reach.
That’s The Block Table.
Join us.
Upcoming Events
This is why we can't have nice things: why it feels like government doesn’t work
Why does it feel like government doesn’t work? Join us and our moderator Stephen Paolini, the Principal Consultant, Bottled Lightning Collective, as we sit down with passionate local leaders that are living those questions every day and have spent decades working to solve our toughest challenges at the local, state and regional level.
Whether it's rents that just keep going up, the gun violence epidemic in our neighborhoods, or the intractable crisis of homelessness on our streets, it's starting to feel impossible to solve the big problems impacting our cities and region. But is that true? What gets in the way of real progress and where is our government working best.
Tim Burgess, Deputy Mayor, City of Seattle
Robert Feldstein, Executive Director, Sound Cities Association
TBD
Stephen Paolini, Moderator
Tuesday, October 21st, 2025
Doors at 5:00PM
Discussion 5:30PM – 7:00PM PDTThe Rabbit Box
94 Pike St
What Just Happened? A Post-General Election Debrief
The votes are in and official - now let’s talk about what they really mean. Join moderator Alex Hudson, a former Seattle City Council candidate and Executive Director of Commute Seattle, with the following lineup of panelists offering a post-primary breakdown: political/public affairs consultant Sandeep Kaushik, a guest TBD, and another guest TBD.
Progressive challengers racked up big leads in the primary- will those leads hold up in November? incumbents, or is the appetite for big progressive change back on the menu? From local shakeups to the Trump effect, we’ll unpack the narratives, surprises, and signal through the noise. We promise it'll be a lively and insightful discussion.
Sandeep Kaushik
TBD
TBD
Alex Hudson, Moderator
Tuesday, November 18th, 2025
Doors at 5:00PM
Discussion 5:30PM – 7:00PM PDT
The Rabbit Box
94 Pike St
Save These Dates!
More Block Table!
December 16th
Tuesday, December 16th, 2025
Doors at 5:00PM
Discussion 5:30PM – 7:00PM PDT
The Rabbit Box
94 Pike St
Recent Events
Trump vs. Seattle: policy changes and implications
Join us as our moderator, Steve Page of University of Washington’s Evans School of Public Policy & Governance, talks to three of today’s most compelling decisions makers. We’ll speak with Former King County Sheriff and Interim Seattle Police Chief Sue Rahr, Deputy Mayor of Seattle Jessyn Farrell, and also Mike Fong, who is the Executive Director for Economic Development for Snohomish County.
Trump is proposing big policy changes that will have serious implications for Seattle and the region. How devastating will it be? Let’s dig into what’s happening on the ground and what might happen in the future in Seattle and the region as Trump’s budget cuts, tariffs, and immigration enforcement hit home.
Sue Rahr
Jessyn Farrell
Mike Fong
Steve Page, Moderator
Tuesday, September 16, 2025
5:30PM – 7:00PM PDT
The Rabbit Box
94 Pike St
A Ballot Full of Conservative Initiatives
What Just Happened? A Post-Primary Election Debrief
The votes are in and official - now let’s talk about what they really mean. Join moderator Alex Hudson, a former Seattle City Council candidate and Executive Director of Commute Seattle, with the following lineup of panelists offering a post-primary breakdown: political/public affairs consultant Sandeep Kaushik, House Our Neighbor's Tiffani McCoy, and KUOW's Scott Greenstone.
Are Seattle voters still in backlash mode, or is the appetite for big progressive change back on the menu? From local shakeups to the Trump effect, we’ll unpack the narratives, surprises, and signal through the noise. We promise it'll be a lively and insightful discussion.
Sandeep Kaushik
Scott Greenstone
Tiffani McCoy
Alex Hudson, Moderator
Tuesday, August 19, 2025
5:30PM – 7:00PM PDT
The Rabbit Box
94 Pike St
WTH is up with the Seattle School District?
Declining enrollments. Unsustainable contracts. Big budget deficits. Academic stagnation. The elimination of the district’s gifted and talented program. Accusations of a lack of transparency. All topped off by a proposal to close up to 21 schools has sparked growing backlash. What is going on with the Seattle school system, and how did we get into this mess?
Join three former Seattle school board members who will share their insights into the current troubles and how we get on a better path.
Michael DeBell
Dr. Stephan Blanford
Vivian Song
Sandeep Kaushik, Moderator
Thursday, October 24, 2024
5:30PM – 7:00PM PDT
Folio: The Seattle Athenaeum
93 Pike St
This November, four major statewide ballot measures—backed by wealthy conservative activists and GOP power players—aim to roll back key victories of the Democratic-controlled legislature: repealing the capital gains tax, scrapping the cap-and-invest carbon system, gutting the public long-term care plan, and halting the push to clean energy.
Join top journalists to dissect the high-stakes campaigns and explore whether these costly battles signal a new era of ballot measure warfare.
Claire Withycombe, The Seattle Times
Jerry Cornfield, Washington State Standard
Paul Queary, Washington Observer
Stephen Paolini, Moderator
Thursday, September 5, 2024
5:30PM – 7:00PM PDT
Folio: The Seattle Athenaeum
93 Pike St
Urbanism: A not-so-hidden force shaping life
Urban policy decisions shape our daily lives in visible ways - our housing and commutes for example - and not-so-obvious ways as well - our social and physical well-being, our children's educational attainment, and our city's economic potential. So what is urbanism? How have decisions in the past shaped our lives today and what's possible in the future?
Join experts across disciplines to dive into the economics, policy, and politics of cities and ourselves.
Patience Malaba
Rian Watt
Sarah Clark
Alex Hudson, Moderator
Thursday, July 18, 2024
5:30PM – 7:00PM PDT
Folio: The Seattle Athenaeum
93 Pike St
Our Vision
The Block Table is where Seattle’s sharpest minds cut through the noise—salon-style panels, real debate, no fluff, just fierce conversation tackling the city’s biggest challenges head-on.
Walk away with fresh insights, real connections, and the momentum to drive change—pull up a chair and be part of the conversation Seattle needs.