Valerie Gaydos (born July 3, 1967) is an American businesswoman and politician serving as a member of the

Pennsylvania House of Representatives The Pennsylvania House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral Pennsylvania General Assembly, the legislature of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. There are 203 members, elected for two-year terms from single member districts. It ...

from the 44th district. Elected in November 2018, she assumed office on December 1, 2018.

Early life and education

Gaydos was born in

Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...

in 1967. After graduating from

Sewickley Academy Sewickley Academy is a private, independent, coeducation, college-preparatory academy located in Sewickley, Pennsylvania in the United States. The Academy educates 594 students, from pre-kindergarten to twelfth grade. It is a member of the Nation ...

in 1986, she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Russian language and economics from

Dickinson College , mottoeng = Freedom is made safe through character and learning , established = , type = Private liberal arts college , endowment = $645.5 million (2022) , president = J ...

in 1989.

Career

Gaydos began her public service career in 1989 as a legislative assistant for the

Pennsylvania State Senate The Pennsylvania State Senate is the upper house of the Pennsylvania General Assembly, the Pennsylvania state legislature. The State Senate meets in the State Capitol building in Harrisburg. Senators are elected for four year terms, staggered ev ...

's Republican Caucus, and continued in that role until 1992, when she was hired as the director of the Greater Baltimore Technology Council. She worked for the council until 1995. She founded Capitol Growth, Inc. in

Baltimore Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...

, Maryland in 1994. By 2002, her firm was operating in

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Harrisburg is the capital city of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Dauphin County. With a population of 50,135 as of the 2021 census, Harrisburg is the 9th largest city and 15th largest municipality in Pe ...

. She continues as the company's president and chief executive officer, according to her current

biography. In 2002, she founded 51st Associates, LLC and continues to serve as that company's president as well. She then founded the Angel Venture Forum in 2012 and remains that firm's president. Gaydos was elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in November 2018 and assumed office on December 1, 2018. During the 2019–2020 legislative session, Gaydos served as chair of the House Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Economic Development. In the 2021–2022 session, she chaired the Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Small Business and served as secretary of the House Liquor Control Committee. Since her initial victory, she has been re-elected to two additional consecutive terms, in 2020 and 2022.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gaydos, Valerie 1967 births Living people Politicians from Pittsburgh Sewickley Academy alumni Dickinson College alumni Republican Party members of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives Women state legislators in Pennsylvania 21st-century American politicians 21st-century American women politicians