A Fox Chapel councilwoman is expected to launch her candidacy on Tuesday for state House of Representatives in the 33rd District.

Mandy Steele is seeking the Democratic nomination for the seat in the May 17 primary. She is the first candidate to announce a campaign for nomination.

Steele, 44, said her years spent battling for environmental protections and other issues key to a thriving community have propelled her to want to serve a broader base.

Steele successfully spearheaded a 2021 campaign across Allegheny County in which 20 municipalities banned toxic coal tar.

She also is the co-founder of the Fox Chapel Parks Conservancy, which works to protect and expand the borough’s expansive green space.

“I look forward to continuing to connect with people throughout the district and learning more about their specific needs,” Steele said.

The House 33rd District is represented by Rep. Carrie Lewis DelRosso, a Republican, who in 2020 unseated Frank Dermody, a Democrat and 28-year veteran of the state House.

The current district encompasses 12 communities in Allegheny County and two in Westmoreland: New Kensington and Arnold.

The proposed redistricting, if approved in coming weeks, removes the two Westmoreland communities and two in Allegheny: Oakmont and part of Plum. The new district adds Fox Chapel, O’Hara, Sharpsburg, Blawnox, Etna and most of Aspinwall, and keeps Tarentum, Harrison, Brackenridge, Fawn, Springdale Township, Springdale Borough, Cheswick, East Deer, Frazer, Harmar and Indiana Township.

Steele said constituents of the newly proposed district asked her to step up to the plate.

“I see the urgent need to fight for a fair economy for all,” Steele said. “I will take steps to protect our environment and make improvements to our infrastructure. I know I’m the right person for the job.”

Steele was first elected to Fox Chapel council in 2020 and serves as the chairperson of the comprehensive planning committee.

Even before she joined council, Steele was fighting for what she called a more inclusive community by petitioning to remove “squaw,” a historical slur against Native American women, from place names of local roads, trails and streams.

Her effort included reaching out to experts across the country to learn how best to replace the name, including those from The National Congress of American Indians and the Seneca Nation, a tribe that has roots in the area.

A successful campaign has renamed a main artery through the borough Hemlock Hollow Road.

Steele has also worked to see Fox Chapel become one of the first municipalities in the state to power its borough buildings with solar energy.

At the time, Steele said projects like this tend to create ripple effects across a region.

Steele said she is invested in the success of the region as a whole, and pointed to her effort to ban coal tar across the county.

“This bipartisan effort has made these communities healthier and safer for all residents,” she said.

A lifelong resident of the Lower Valley, Steele grew up in O’Hara. She has four children enrolled in the Fox Chapel Area School District.

Steele plans to launch online platforms Tuesday that include steeleforpa.com, Twitter @SteeleforPA and Facebook.

Copyright ©2025— Trib Total Media, LLC (TribLIVE.com)