Wendy Graham Leland

I am a 24-year resident of Charlestown Township and native Pennsylvanian. I am a combat veteran who retired as a Colonel after 32 years in the Army with my last several assignments at the Pentagon for HQ Department of the Army and at Ft. Belvoir as a Regimental Commander. As a civilian, I worked on Capitol Hill on the House Armed Services Committee, then for two Washington DC firms first supporting the Navy, then the National Reconnaissance Office until moving to Charlestown following the birth of my second daughter. I have been a Planner for 20 years, am a Trustee at my church, have been on many mission trips, and am a Lifetime Girl Scout. Service to America runs strong in my family. I am the daughter of a trade union representative and firefighter and mother of 4. My eldest daughter is a a firefighter and is married to a career firefighter, my second daughter is an active duty Army paratrooper engaged to an active duty paratrooper, my third daughter will be entering the Air Force shortly, and my son is studying physics at Temple University. My husband is a retired Army Lieutenant Colonel and my brother is an active duty Army Major General in the US Army Corps of Engineers. I have run 12 full marathons and can be found on the Chester Valley trail with my rescue dogs.

• I believe that the primary job of a Representative is communication, both listening to people in the District and relaying what is going on in Harrisburg.
• The ability of our commonwealth to get our economy performing again and maintaining our public health will take dedicated hard work.
• I am not a polarizing individual. I believe in respectfully listening to all sides of an issue and doing research. I have never been a person who 'goes along to get along.' In all of my endeavors, both civilian and military, I have always been the bridge to collaboration and have put many successful teams together on that very foundation.

Prior to Covid-19 taking center stage of our public health, I am fiercely dedicated to not taking any more taxpayer dollars. Raising taxes, whether it be a significant gas tax to pay for pensions, or property taxes to pay for schools, I believe we need to go to Harrisburg with a sharp pencil and learn to live within our means.
As a transportation specialist in the Army and a municipal planner, I have a keen interest in our roads and infrastructure as they are critical to the movement of people and goods in the 167th District.
The Open Space focus in Charlestown Township has been quite successful over the 20 years I have been a planner. We have nearly 40% of our township permanently eased from further development. But over the past several years, I have seen development increase at an alarming rate in our surrounding municipalities as the pressure for apartments and the corresponding infrastructure has increased. Being a voice of conservation and maintaining green spaces while balancing development is important to me.

I have already left a legacy in the Army. I opened a $25 million training facility on Ft Belvoir, Virginia at a time when all contractors had walked away from the job. I brought all stakeholders back to the table and the facility was constructed under budget and within 18 months of my taking command of the regiment. Additionally, my second daughter has followed in my footsteps in the Army. Like me, she graduated from Indiana University of PA with high honors, was commissioned, then went to Airborne School at Ft. Benning, Georgia and is now an active duty Army First Lieutenant, defending our nation. I could not be more proud of her.
My eldest daughter is a volunteer firefighter, married to a career firefighter, and works for the Department of Homeland Security. As a military intelligence professional in the Army, I encouraged her to study intelligence analysis. She graduated from JMU with high honors and has made us proud with her dedicated service to her community.
My third daughter is embarking on a career in the Air Force and our son is at Temple studying physics.
I have never been a parent who points to a direction and pushes my children in that path. Rather, I have worked hard to be a role model for my children, whether it is their chosen fields of endeavor, or running a marathon.
As far as a legislative legacy, I want my neighbors to know that I go to Harrisburg to represent US ALL from this District. I am an extremely dedicated worker, who will NEVER close her office doors nor will ever fail to return a phone call or email.

Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln, Doris Kearns Goodwin. Her dramatization of the critical moments of the civil war in our 16th president's life is brilliant.

People of the Book, Geraldine Brooks. The history of a haggadah that she is able to bring to life is quite interesting. I have listened to the audible version of this book several times.

The Overstory, Richard Powers is powerful and worthy of understanding people's passions for conservation.

Everything by Sir Terry Pratchett

Dancin' With Myself, Billy Idol