Melissa Sheehy-Richard was first elected to the Nova Scotia House of Assembly as MLA for Hants West in 2021 and was re-elected in 2024. She is the first female member to be elected in the constituency of Hants West.
She is the ministerial assistant to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change.
She is currently the Deputy Government House Leader.
She is a paralegal and later operated a home-based business prior to being elected.
She is a former member of the Municipal Planning Advisory Committee, Municipal Climate Change Action Plan Committee, former Registrar of the West Hants Minor Hockey Association and actively involved in her community.
She is Chair of the Veterans Affairs Committee. She is a member of the Human Resources and Internal Affairs Committees.