Chelsea MacDonald, ’16, knew from her very first day of law school that she wanted to become a judge. Less than a decade later, she made that dream a reality.
The West Seneca native and attorney at the Law Office of Ralph C. Lorigo was unanimously appointed West Seneca Town Justice in April 2025. She went on to win both the Republican and Conservative primaries in June and now looks ahead to the general election in November.
MacDonald’s desire to serve on the bench grew out of her passion for helping others — the same passion that led her to Niagara University, where she majored in criminal justice and sociology while exploring her future career path.
She says she “fell in love with the campus” on her very first visit and embraced student life, including activities like cheerleading. But it was a health crisis early in her second semester freshman year that proved most life-shaping.
MacDonald recalls waking up one day in her dorm room, unable to hear. Throughout treatment, she was supported by NU faculty and staff, especially Nanette Harmon, then-director of the university’s American Sign Language and Deaf Studies program. That compassion, MacDonald says, made all the difference.
“If I hadn’t gone to NU, I don’t think I would be who I am today,” she said. “The accommodations, the professors, the students — everything worked in my favor. I’m so grateful because it was such a tough time.”
While she regained hearing in her right ear, MacDonald remains profoundly deaf in her left ear and now wears a cochlear implant. The experience inspired her to minor in ASL and deepened her commitment to service.
While at NU, she completed an internship with the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office Victim Assistance Unit, later accepting a role as a victim advocate with Child and Family Services and then the Erie County District Attorney’s Office. Helping individuals navigate the court system prompted her desire to make an even greater impact.
“I wanted to do more — to be a voice for people who couldn’t stand up for themselves,” she explained.
After earning her J.D. from Western Michigan University Cooley Law School, MacDonald joined Gibson, McAskill & Crosby, LLP as an associate attorney before moving to the Lorigo firm to practice matrimonial and family law, a role she finds deeply meaningful.
On her first day on the bench as West Seneca Town Justice, she thought “this is what I’m meant to do,” she said. “Being a lawyer is incredibly rewarding, but there’s something truly special about serving as a judge. I want to do my best for the people of West Seneca — and I know this is only the beginning. It’s amazing to be where I am, and I’m incredibly proud.”
