By Lindsey Richardt ’07
Inspired by their experiences at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College, two alumni are seeking to break new ground in Indiana by elevating the voices of women in state legislature.
On Nov. 3, State Representative Tonya Pfaff ’90 of Terre Haute, Indiana, and Pamela Dechert ’93 of Indianapolis, Indiana, will grace their local election ballots. In a state where women have been long underrepresented as lawmakers, they are two of nearly 50 women across Indiana whose sights are set on bringing balance to the Indiana House of Representatives.
Pfaff, who was initially elected as a State Representative in 2018, is up for re-election this fall. Her interest in running for public office piqued around 2010 when Indiana lawmakers pushed through education reform bills she describes as an assault on public education. As a high school math teacher for 25 years, she felt educators needed better representation at the statehouse.
“As a teacher, I didn’t agree with what the General Assembly was pushing through and how they were making decisions about my profession,” Pfaff said. The next opportunity to run came in 2017 when the previous longtime seat holder announced his retirement.
For Dechert, the decision to run for public office came after leading a successful capital project referendum in 2019 for the Lawrence Township School District in Indianapolis, which is providing $191 million in upgrades and improvements for the schools. She describes herself as always having a keen interest in law and public policy, and in early 2020, she felt a deep desire to do more for her community.
“It’s our job to serve. It’s our job to take the gifts we have and help make our community better,” said Dechert. During the 2020 session, women constituted less than one-quarter of the Indiana General Assembly, yet they made up 51% of the overall population of Indiana.
“We need more women in the Indiana Statehouse. We have a different voice. For me, in particular, I want to represent families, working parents, mothers and children. When more women are at the table, we have better policies for health, education and families,” said Dechert.
“Our General Assembly needs to be more representative of the State of Indiana. For the first time in history, more women than men made up the Democratic caucus, but if you look at the legislature as a whole, female representation was 24%. One of my goals has always been equality, especially coming from The Woods, where I gained the confidence to say, ‘Notice me, I’m here and I need to be heard,’” said Pfaff.
Tonya Pfaff ‘90
Pfaff, a Democrat, was elected in 2018 as the Indiana State Representative for House District 43, an area that covers the cities of Terre Haute and West Terre Haute, as well as the village of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods. Pfaff is the first elected woman to represent this district since World War II.
The Woods gave me confidence, a strong sense of self and determination. I was surrounded by people who want you to be the best version of yourself.
Tonya Pfaff ‘90
Pfaff is now the ranking minority member of the Natural Resources Committee. She also serves on the Education Committee and the Elections and Apportionment Committee.
“I really enjoy the challenge of being a state representative. There are so many issues going on that I was not aware of before. Now, I get the opportunity to meet with people who represent different interests across the state,” Pfaff explains.
She describes her life prior to public office as simply “teaching math and raising children.” Pfaff graduated from Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College (SMWC) in 1990 with a degree in mathematics and secondary education. She married her high school sweetheart, Chris Pfaff, over 25 years ago, and after living in Germany a short time when he was deployed with the Army, they settled in Terre Haute and raised four children.
Pfaff says she is committed to the ideals of family, education and service as the foundation of a strong community. Her legislative goals include helping address public education challenges in Indiana and bringing greater economic development to Terre Haute and West Terre Haute.
“As a teacher, I’ve always been called to serve, and being Catholic, there is a sense of service above self,” said Pfaff. “I think we all have an individual calling, though it isn’t always easy to listen to it. My advice to others is to listen to what you are called to do. For me, after being in the classroom for 25 years, I decided to run for office when I have never previously held public office. It isn’t the easiest thing to do, but getting out of your comfort zone really has a lot of benefits.”
She says her experience at SMWC shaped the leader she is today, giving her the assurance she needed to take this bold step.
“The Woods gave me confidence, a strong sense of self and determination. I was surrounded by people who want you to be the best version of yourself. The faculty were so supportive and it was a nurturing environment; they encourage you to hold your head high and go after whatever it is you want to go after,” Pfaff adds.
Pamela Dechert ’93
Dechert, also a Democrat, is making her first run for public office to represent Indiana House District 88, which spans across northeast Marion County and northwest Hancock County.
She graduated from SMWC with a degree in Pre-Law in 1993 where she found professors who reinforced a philosophy she’s followed her entire life: use your talents to leave the world better than you found it.
“We are standing in the footsteps of everyone who came before us: Saint Mother Theodore Guerin, Alice Shelton ‘87, Angela White ‘86, Kathryn Myers, among many others. Those women taught me and helped me become the person I am today. Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College gave me the added confidence I needed to take this big leap and say, ‘I can run for office,’” said Dechert.
One of the strongest influences on Dechert’s life, and ultimately on her decision to run for office, was the late Myers, who served as a member of the faculty and the coordinator for paralegal studies at SMWC for 34 years.
Myers remained a life-long influence on Dechert, who says she feels as though she’s walking in her shoes. In fact, Dechert wore a pair of Myers’ shoes in her memory the night she kicked off her campaign.
You can say it’s Providence. There is something to be said about your life having a certain trajectory; I feel like this is what I’m meant to do now.
Pamela Dechert ’93
“I have sincerely appreciated the support and advice from my friends at The Woods who have told me, ‘your entire life brought you to this moment,’” said Dechert. “I’m running for office because I care about my community and long term health of Indiana, and as I turn 50, I’m thinking about how I can help people and leave the world a better place than how I found it.”
Dechert made Indianapolis her home 27 years ago. She and her husband, Derek, moved to Lawrence Township 15 years ago where they are raising their 12 year-old son. Her professional and volunteer work has focused on helping nonprofits raise money, advocate and effectively meet their missions.
Dechert is focused on making Indiana work for everyone and is passionate about supporting public education, public health, equality, environment and the state’s economy.
“You can say it’s Providence. There is something to be said about your life having a certain trajectory; I feel like this is what I’m meant to do now,” adds Dechert.
Read the Full Issue
Now branded Onyx Anneau, the fall edition has a refreshed look that includes stories from alumni, students and highlights employees. It focuses on the growth of the College through the construction of a new residence and dining hall. Dottie King, Ph.D., shares her 10 years of experience as president of SMWC. It also features stories of alumnae who are working on bettering their community through office.