Wayne D. Fontana is a Democratic member of the Pennsylvania State Senate representing the 42nd Senatorial District since his election in a special election on May 17, 2005. The district encompasses 19 suburban communities and 20 wards in the City of Pittsburgh, including downtown, the North Shore, and the Strip District. Born March 12, 1950, in Pittsburgh's Beechview neighborhood, he resides in the Brookline section with his wife, Francine; they have three children and five grandchildren. A former truck driver and union member , he worked as a realtor and real estate broker for Howard Hanna Real Estate Services, earning the Distinguished Service Award from the Realtors Association of Metropolitan Pittsburgh. Notable achievements include authoring legislation to double funding for economic revitalization in industrial communities, toughening child abuse reporting for school personnel, establishing a task force on education for homeless children, expanding CHIP, and advocating for full-day kindergarten and a natural gas severance tax for education. He has received awards like the Pittsburgh Downtown Community Development Corporation Community Leader Award, Clean Water Action Fund's Dewey Award, and PBS Good Neighbor Award. Current roles include Democratic Chairman of the Senate Law & Justice Committee , plus committees on Community, Economic & Recreational Development, Finance, Local Government, and Urban Affairs & Housing; he also chairs the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency and the Sports & Exhibition Authority Board of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County, and serves on regional boards like the Redevelopment Authority of Allegheny County, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Land Bank, and Pittsburgh Economic Industrial Development Corporation.

Education and Political Experience

• Education: Associate’s Degree in Business from Community College of Allegheny County .
• Political Experience: Inaugural member and Vice President of Allegheny County Council prior to Senate election; Vice Chair of the Allegheny County Democratic Committee and 19th Ward Committee person; Senate Democratic Caucus Chairman ; member of caucuses including Early Childhood Education, Manufacturing, SAFE , and Real Estate; Democratic Policy Committee member.