Representative Melissa Shusterman

Melissa Shusterman is a Democratic member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for the 157th District, which covers parts of Chester County and Montgomery County. She was elected in 2018.

Melissa was born on September 8, 1967, in Augusta, Georgia, and raised in Tredyffrin Township. She attended Conestoga High School and graduated in 1985. In 1989, she graduated from Lafayette College with a bachelor’s degree in Russian Studies and History. She later obtained a master’s degree in Film and Television from American University in Washington, DC.

After her education, Melissa returned to the Chester County area and launched Fedora Media, a video production company, while raising her son as a single mother. Her strong sense of independence and gritty work ethic led her to a successful career in business.

In 2018, Melissa was first elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, successfully unseating four-term incumbent Republican Representative Warren Kampf with 57 percent of the vote. During her campaign, she was endorsed by organizations such as Planned Parenthood, the Pennsylvania Fraternal Order of Police, and the Sierra Club, as well as by former President Barack Obama.

Her committee assignments include the Aging and Older Adult Services, Children & Youth, Commerce, and Rules. Shusterman also serves as Democratic secretary of the Judiciary committee. Shusterman is the first freshman representative to serve as a deputy whip for her party.

Melissa resides in Schuylkill Township, Pennsylvania with her husband Hans and son Paris.