Lindsay Powell, formerly of InnovatePGH, will be Pennsylvania’s new state rep

The Pennsylvania House of Representative’s 21st District has chosen its new state representative.

In July, InnovatePGH Director of Workforce Strategies Lindsay Powell secured the Democratic nomination in a race vying for Sara Innamorato’s seat, which Innamorato left to run for Allegheny County executive. Where Innamorato marketed herself as a progressive, the special election was one between Powell, who spent her career in economic and workforce development, and her opponent, the Republican nominee Erin Connolly Autenreith, a longtime real estate agent. On Sept. 19, voters chose Powell to represent the 21st District.

“This is not just about the 21st District, this is about the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,” Powell said Tuesday night at a victory party in Etna, according to Pennsylvania Capital-Star’s report. “Right now, we have the opportunity to send a progressive Democrat to Harrisburg, but we know this isn’t about me. This isn’t about us, it’s making sure that across this beautiful state that every single person has access to accessible and dignified housing.

While Powell’s victory makes her the first Black woman to represent the 21st District, Powell herself is no stranger to politics. Previously, the 32-year-old was former Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto’s assistant chief of staff directing legislative and policy work. Powell also worked in the White House legislative affairs office under President Barack Obama, US Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, and US Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand.

When it comes to the InnovatePGH section of Powell’s resume, in an interview with the Pennsylvania Capital Star, she said her work creating employment opportunities combined with her own experiences being housing insecure positioned her to understand her constituents’ needs.

“What drew me to wanting to run for office at this point in my career was that I feel like I have the ability to lead with empathy in a lot of these spaces,” Powell said. “I’ve had to navigate some of these systems and some of these difficult situations myself.” She also reaffirmed her commitment to creating a strong and equitable economy that all residents can participate in.

InnovatePGH CEO Sean Luther released a statement offering his congratulations and said the economic development organization wished Powell all the best in her new endeavor. Also, but Luther thanked Powell for her service and highlighted her contributions to InnovatePGH through the years. That included her role in creating the recently launched PEER (Promoting Emerging Entrepreneurs in Robotics) Fellowship, which will provide technical skills, but also support fellows in the challenges they may face working in the field.

Luther said he’s excited to see what Powell accomplishes as an elected official.

“Lindsay is a recognized leader in our community and a tireless advocate for innovation, equity, and justice in Pittsburgh’s innovation economy and beyond,” Luther said in the written statement. “We wish Lindsay the best of luck in her new role, thank her genuinely for her contributions to the organization, and look forward to seeing the outstanding things she will contribute to the Commonwealth!”

Atiya Irvin-Mitchell is a 2022-2024 corps member for Report for America, an initiative of The Groundtruth Project that pairs young journalists with local newsrooms. This position is supported by the Heinz Endowments.