By Brittany Foster, Contributing Writer

State Representative Chelsa Wagner, recently elected to Allegheny County Controller, has also taken a job with law firm Leech Tishman where she will be of counsel, the firm announced in an email.

“In her career that has spanned posts in business, law and elected office, Chelsa has distinguished herself as an effective advocate and strategist on behalf of both clients and constituents,” it said.

The firm

She will be joining the Corporate, Employment and Litigation Practice Groups with the firm. Before winning her seat in the House of Representatives in 2006, Wagner held a similar job as a Senior Business Analyst. Wagner served the 22nd District since 2006 and represented the South Side of Pittsburgh and neighboring suburbs.

She won the Allegheny County Controller seat handily in November with 61 percent of the vote. Her inauguration will be held on January 2nd. The special election to fill her House seat has not yet been scheduled; the 22nd District was moved from the Pittsburgh area to Allentown during redistricting.

Wagner isn’t the only Pittsburgh Dem to be entering the private sector this month. Outgoing County Exec Dan Onorato took a job with Highmark last week. Dan Onorato will join the company as Executive Vice President, Chief External Affairs and Communication Officer, effective January 3, 2012. He will be responsible for Corporate Communications and Public Relations; Community Affairs, including the Highmark Foundation; and the Highmark Caring Place in addition to Government Relations.