Patrick Ruffini

Over the past 15 years, Patrick Ruffini has advanced the digital and data-driven transformation of politics in numerous roles, most recently as a cofounder of Echelon Insights, a next-generation polling, analytics, and intelligence firm.

Ruffini began his career as one of the country’s first political-digital practitioners, starting at the Republican National Committee in 2002. He managed grassroots technology and outreach for President George W. Bush’s 2004 reelection campaign and returned to the RNC to run digital strategy in 2006. As the founder of Engage, a leading right-of-center digital agency, Ruffini would apply these lessons learned at the presidential level to political campaigns nationally and internationally, the advocacy and nonprofit worlds, the Fortune 50, and beyond.

In 2014 he cofounded Echelon Insights to evolve the traditional ways that organizations collect information to drive strategy. Ruffini leads the firm’s analytics and technology practices, helping a wide array of clients craft more persuasive messages, manage crises, and reach audiences more cost-effectively.

As a writer and public speaker, Ruffini offers insights on political, demographic, and technology trends that are often highlighted by national media. He has contributed to publications including The Washington Post, FiveThirtyEight, Politico, and National Review; has been featured in The New York Times, Time, and Newsweek; and has appeared as a political analyst for NPR.