By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Journalist

The Obama administration has appointed a transgendered woman and political activist as Senior Technical Advisor to the Department of Commerce, making her one of the first such appointments in presidential history.

Amanda Simpson, a former male test pilot and Raytheon employee, who has served on the National Center for Transgender Equality’s (NCTE) Board of Directors for the past 3 years, called the appointment an honor.

“I’m truly honored to have received this appointment and am eager and excited about this opportunity that is before me. And at the same time, as one of the first transgender presidential appointees to the federal government, I hope that I will soon be one of hundreds, and that this appointment opens future opportunities for many others.”

Simpson served as the Deputy Director in Advanced Technology Development at Raytheon Missile Systems in Tucson, Arizona where she successfully lobbied to add gender identity to Raytheon’s Equal Employment Opportunity Policy. Holding degrees in physics, engineering and business administration, she is also a certified flight instructor and test pilot with 20 years of experience.

Her transition from male to female is said to have occurred over a six year period.

In addition to her work with the NCTE, Simpson has also served on the board of Wingspan, the Southern Arizona Gender Alliance, the Southern Arizona ACLU and the Arizona Human Rights Fund (now known as Equality Arizona).

Brian Bond, speaking as the White House Office of Public Engagement, recently answered a question about whether or not the Obama Administration would appoint a transgendered person in the first round of appointments.

“You will definitely see that in the first round…[The] appointments are an ongoing process, as you know, but I can stand here with both feet on the ground and tell you that it will be LGBT in the Obama Administration.”

The White House has made no comment on the appointment.

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