President Obama appointed a transgender woman, Amanda Simpson, to a role in the Commerce Department.
While working at Raytheon Missile Systems in Arizona, she transitioned from male-to-female over a six-year period, and successfully lobbied to add gender identity to Raytheon's Equal Employment Opportunity Policy.
She has worked in the defense industry for thirty years. She's also a certified flight instructor.
She's a political activist as well:
She has also been very active in political and community groups. She has served on the Board of Directors of two national organizations: Out & Equal and NCTE. In Arizona, she has been on the board of Wingspan, the Southern Arizona Gender Alliance, the Southern Arizona ACLU and the Arizona Human Rights Fund (now Equality Arizona).
She says:
"I'm truly honored to have received this appointment and am eager and excited about this opportunity that is before me," said Simpson. "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."
There's not much more to add. This is great news. She's very experienced and well-qualified for the job.