Laura O’Sullivan most recently served as the Deputy Director, Surrogate Operations and National Advisory Board for the 2024 Harris for President Campaign where she led efforts to deploy political and elected official surrogates across the country and into the Battleground States.
Previously, she served as the South Bend Political Director for the Pete for America Presidential campaign, and worked as Mayor Pete Buttigieg’s Chief of Staff for the Office of the Mayor, City of South Bend. In this role, Laura advanced the Mayor’s vision for the future and worked to make South Bend more innovative, equitable and sustainable.
Laura came to the City from the University of Notre Dame, where she served as Director of Athletic Events and Stewardship, Director of Special Events and Stewardship, Program Director of Annual Giving Events, and Program and Events Coordinator for Recognition Societies. Prior to her time with the fighting Irish, she served as Director of Development at Southwestern Michigan College, as well as the Executive Director for the Northern Indiana March of Dimes.
Laura is the Founding Chair of The Kitchen Cabinet, a local grassroots organization founded in 2021 in North Central Indiana that sets its sights on being more innovative, more welcoming and nimble while filling in the gaps on the ground locally. All of this is paired with a strong sense of belonging that works in parallel with the efforts of the Democratic Party. The organization serves as each members’ personal “Kitchen Cabinet”, whether they are just getting involved in politics or want to run for office.
Laura is a 1993 graduate of Purdue University where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and is a 4th generation native of South Bend.