Biography

Susan Wild is an American attorney and politician who served as a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District from January 2019 to January 2025. Born on June 7, 1957, at Wiesbaden Air Force Base in West Germany, she is the daughter of a U.S. Air Force officer and a journalist. After spending her early years moving across various military bases, Wild settled in the Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania over 30 years ago, where she raised her family and built her legal career.

In 2015, Wild made history by becoming the first woman appointed as Allentown's City Solicitor. She resigned from this position in December 2017 to run for the congressional seat vacated by Republican Charlie Dent. Wild won the special election in November 2018, becoming the first woman to represent Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District. She was re-elected in 2020 and 2022 but was defeated in the 2024 election by Republican Ryan Mackenzie.

Education and Political Experience

• Education:

  • Bachelor of Arts from American University, 1978
  • Juris Doctor from George Washington University Law School, 1982

• Political Experience:

  • Appointed Allentown City Solicitor, 2015–2017
  • U.S. Representative for Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District, 2019–2025
  • Chair of the House Ethics Committee, 2022–2023
  • Ranking Member of the House Ethics Committee, 2023–2025
  • Vice Chair of the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations
  • Co-Chair of the New Democrat Coalition Climate Change Task Force
  • Vice Chair of the Congressional Labor and Working Families Caucus
  • Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee
  • Member of the House Education and Labor Committee
  • Member of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee

Throughout her tenure in Congress, Wild focused on issues such as lowering prescription drug prices, expanding Medicare, supporting labor and education, addressing the climate crisis, and bolstering Pennsylvania's manufacturing sector. She was also a strong advocate for mental health and suicide prevention initiatives, particularly following the loss of her long-time partner to suicide in 2019.