Rebecca J. Wydysh

Rebecca J. Wydysh is Chairman of the Niagara County Legislature. The highest-ranking official in Niagara County government, she is the first woman ever to hold the position.

Elected to the Legislature in 2015, Ms. Wydysh represents the 2nd District, which includes the western end of Wheatfield and a major portion of the Town of Lewiston, including the Village. Prior to her election, Ms. Wydysh had never run for elective office.

Ms. Wydysh was elected Chairman of the Legislature in January 2020, just three months before the COVID-19 pandemic began. She coordinated the County’s response to the pandemic, becoming a familiar face to residents with her daily COVID updates. Ms. Wydysh also made it a priority to collaborate with New York State and other county leaders on policy matters to make sure the Legislature provided necessary resources to the Departments of Health and Emergency Services.

During her time in government, Ms. Wydysh has been particularly passionate about battling the opioid crisis that has plagued so many families across Niagara County. Since 2017, she has served as Chairman of OASIS (the Overdose/Addiction Strategy Implementation  Standing Committee), Niagara County’s Opioid Task Force. This task force brought together resources and partners from across the County to actively spread public awareness about opioid addiction to the community, develop preventative measures, and find ways to help those in need of recovery.

While service in the Niagara County Legislature is a part-time commitment, Ms. Wydysh’s full-time career has been with the Niagara County Courthouse. For more than 20 years, she has served in the County Clerk's Office, the District Attorney's Office, and since 2008, as Deputy Commissioner of Jurors for Niagara County with the NYS Unified Court System. In that role, she participates in numerous statewide projects and initiatives related to jury innovation, and is a member of the NYS Commissioner of Jurors Association.

Outside work, she served on the Board of Directors of the Mental Health Association in Niagara County, Inc. from 2009-2020, taking on the role of President of the Board for seven years.

Born and raised in Cambria, Ms. Wydysh lived in the Town of Lockport before moving to the Village of Lewiston with her husband, Peter, and two children, now both young adults.