MEET BECKY
Becky Wydysh is the former Chairwoman of the Niagara County Legislature. As the highest ranking official in Niagara County government, she was the first woman to ever hold the position.
First elected to the Legislature in 2015, she represented the 2nd District, which includes the western end of Wheatfield and a major portion of the Town of Lewiston, including the Village. Becky had never previously run for elective office.
Becky was elected Chairman of the Legislature in January 2020, just three months before the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. She coordinated the county’s response to the pandemic, becoming a familiar face to residents with her daily COVID updates, collaborating with state and other county leaders on
policy matters and making sure the Legislature provided the necessary resources to the Departments of Health and Emergency Services.
During her time in government, Becky has been particularly passionate about battling the opioid crisis that has plagued so many families across Niagara County. Since 2017, Becky 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.
Not many people know that serving in the Niagara County Legislature is part-time. Becky’s full-time career has been spent in the Niagara County Courthouse for almost 30 years, including 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 has participated in numerous state wide projects and initiatives in jury innovation and is a member of the NYS Commissioner of Jurors Association. She has been a union member of the CSEA for the length of her career.
Outside of work, Becky served as a member of the Mental Health Association in Niagara County, Inc Board of Directors from 2009-2020, taking on the role of President of the board for 7 years of that time.
Born and raised in Cambria, Wydysh also lived in the Town of Lockport before moving to the Village of Lewiston with her husband, Peter and two children, now both young adults.