Profile

Senator Gene Yaw was elected to represent the 23rd Senatorial District in November 2008.

Prior to running for the Senate, Yaw served as Lycoming County solicitor for 17 years and was named County Solicitor of the Year in 2004. He has also served as general counsel to the Pennsylvania College of Technology for over 20 years.

Senator Yaw serves as chairman of the Urban Affairs and Housing Committee. He is also a member of the Environmental Resource and Energy, Law and Justice, Agriculture and Rural Affairs and Rules and Executive Nominations Committees.

Senator Yaw is a member of the Lycoming Law Association, Pennsylvania Bar Association, American Bar Association, Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association, Board of Directors of the Lycoming Law Association Foundation, Inc., and a former member with 17 years of service to the Board of Directors of Susquehanna Legal Services.

A U.S. Army veteran, Yaw enlisted as a private E-1 and went on to graduate from the United States Artillery and Missile Officer Candidate School in Fort Sill, Oklahoma. He served an overseas tour of duty as an artillery officer and was honorably discharged as a 1st lieutenant.

He graduated from Montoursville High School, attended Bucknell University, and earned degrees from Lycoming College and the American University School of Law in Washington, D.C.

Senator Yaw has coached Little League Baseball, and coached and refereed for the American Youth Soccer Organization. He is a member of the National Rifle Association, Ducks Unlimited, the Nittany Lion Club, and the Williamsport-Lycoming Chamber of Commerce.

A Loyalsock Township resident, Yaw is married and has two children and two grandchildren. He attends First United Methodist Church in Williamsport, and serves as a trustee of the Wallis Run United Methodist Church.