Amanda Simpson

During her notable and extensive career as a pilot, aerospace engineer and public servant, Amanda Simpson has blazed the trail for out trans leaders across sectors. Simpson has served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Operational Energy, Senior Advisor to the Secretary of Defense for matters pertaining to military and energy, among others. In 2010, Simpson was appointed by President Barack Obama to the position of Senior Technical Adviser to the U.S. Department of Commerce, where she advised on policy and export control issues necessary to protect the security of the United States. With her appointment, she became the first out transgender woman presidential appointee in U.S. history.