Pam Snyder
Senior Advisor with Buchanan, Ingersoll & Rooney and Former Pennsylvania State Representative
Bio
State Representative Pam Snyder was elected to her first term in office in November 2012 and is currently serving her fifth two-year term representing the 50th Legislative District. She also serves as the deputy whip of the House Democratic Caucus.
Snyder’s career of public service spans three decades. She has served at the local, state and federal levels of government, starting as an office clerk in the Greene County Sheriff’s office and advancing her way up through, ultimately transitioning from supporting elected officials to feeling called to step up and serve.
During her tenure as Deputy District Director for Congressman Frank Mascara, she worked tirelessly on behalf of veterans, persisting until the first case of Persian Gulf Syndrome was officially recognized by the federal government. Her efforts were acknowledged by the late U.S. Senator John McCain in his 2014 book Thirteen Soldiers.
“Validating the incredible illnesses of our Persian Gulf veterans, after months and years of being ignored, was, undoubtedly the highlight of my career,” Snyder said. “Listening to the common struggles of multiple soldiers who returned with debilitating ailments was heartbreaking and knowing they were being ignored, unfathomable. It was the honor of my life to fight for them to ensure they received the benefits and care they deserved. It restored my faith in government and made me realize that one person or group of people really can make a difference.”
Snyder went on to run for Greene County Commissioner in 2003, serving 9 years, all of them as chair. During her time as chair, she and her colleagues never had a split vote.
During her tenure, she finalized the development of WalMart, facilitated a community-driven comprehensive plan - which is still acknowledged today as an excellent tool for county growth and development, and led an effort on behalf of 300 property owners to halt a 500 KV power line, which spanned across Greene and Washington Counties using a 35-year-old right-of-way.
In an agreement to stop the power line, Snyder was instrumental in facilitating the return of property rights back from that 35-year-old right-of-way to approximately 300 property owners from both Greene and Washington counties. Snyder also negotiated into the agreement that Allegheny Power establish an endowment at Waynesburg University that awards one graduating senior from each of the five school districts a scholarship to attend Waynesburg University.
Over the last five terms serving as State Representative, Snyder has had multiple pieces of legislation passed and signed into law. Her proudest accomplishment is advocating to advance broadband initiatives across the commonwealth.
Act 96 of 2021 creates the Pennsylvania Broadband Deployment Authority and was signed into law on December 22. 2021. This will have Pennsylvania poised to secure federal dollars to deploy broadband to unserved and underserved areas.
“While local improvements to our broadband infrastructure are welcome, true change will not happen without a coordinated effort across the state,” Snyder said. “My most recent bipartisan legislation will help to strategically and systematically improve infrastructure across the state and make many more resources available to underserved communities.”
Snyder was also the author of bills that armed state corrections officers with pepper spray, and protected workers after power plant closures.
Snyder is married to Jack Snyder. They live on their family farm. They have two daughters, Joy (Kevin) Eggleston and Madeline (Wes) Loring. They have 4 grandchildren, Jackson Eggleston, Theresa Eggleston, Evelyn Loring and Eleanor Loring.