Sheila Saidman, a Democrat from Kingston, is running for a seat on the Luzerne County Council.
Saidman, 67, is a longtime county resident, grew up in Noxen before moving to Kingston and graduated from the first class of Wyoming Valley West. She received a bachelor’s degree in English and a master’s degree in education from Temple University. She continued her education at the University of Pittsburgh, where she received her law degree.
She worked as a county assistant district attorney under Correale Stevens, as associate corporate counsel for Jewelcor Marketing and Gruen Watch Company, as chief market counsel for PNC Bank for the Northeast Region, in private law practice and most recently as a labor representative for the Pennsylvania State Education Association.
Saidman was elected president of the Luzerne County Bar Association in 2008 — the first female to hold the post in the association’s 160-year history. She also has volunteered for numerous community boards and organizations, including the Charitable Foundation of the Wilkes-Barre Law and Library Association, CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate), the Victims Resource Center, the NEPA Labor Management Council, the Jewish Community Center Board, the Temple Israel Board of Directors and the United Way Board of Directors.
Recently retired, Saidman said she can work full time for the council if she is elected.
Saidman is married to Dr. Steven Kafrissen and has one daughter, Rebekah, who also is an attorney and works as dean of admissions for the Dickinson School of Law of Penn State University.
