Staff Appointments to the White House Occupied by LGBTQ Individuals
The operations of the White House, one of the central organizations of American political activity, consist of communications and media, accounting, personnel, technology, social and event planning, interns, and advisory services. There was a time when high profile political staff appointments for out LGBTQ individuals was simply not possible. Although challenges remain, there have been an increasing number of members of the community taking on these public roles. The presence of LGBTQ individuals in these positions has often depended entirely on what political administration is in power.
Being the central hub of political activity, it is important to have LGBTQ representation in White House operations.
There have been a number of notable appointments. For example, the first transgender intern at the White House was Sarah McBride. Brook Colangelo was Chief Information Officer under the Obama administration. As well, Virginia Apuzzo held the most senior position in the Clinton administration in management and administration.
We have identified the following notable LGBTQ individuals who have held White House administrative and operations positions.
- Sylvia Acevedo, White House initiative for Educational Excellence for Hispanics
- Gregory Angelo, Spokesperson for the White House Office of Drug Control Policy
- Virginia Apuzzo, assistant to the president for management and administration (1997)
- Lindsay Barenz, Fellow, Office of Management and Budgets
- Anthony Bernal, Chief of Staff to Dr. Jill Biden, plus various previous roles
- Jeremy Bernard, White House social secretary (2010-2015)
- Brian Bond, deputy director in the White House Office of Public Engagement
- Douglas M. Brooks, Director of the White House Office of National AIDS Policy (2014-2016)
- Michael C. Camunez, Special Counsel to the President
- Audrey Choi, Council of Economic Advisors
- Brook Colangelo, White House Chief Information Officer (2009-2013)
- Ashlee Davis, Staff Assistant, Office of Presidential Personnel, the White House
- Judd Deere, Deputy Press Secretary at the White House, and Deputy Assistant to the President (2019-2021).
- Stuart Delery, White House Counsel, and Assistant to the President (2022)
- Monique Dorsainvil, Deputy Director of Advancement and Special Events, Office of Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs, the White House
- Carlos E. Elizondo, Social Secretary for the White House (2020)
- Ronan Farrow, Special Advisor for Humanitarian and NGO Affairs in the Office of the Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, the White House (2009)
- Stephen Goepfert, Personal Aide to President Joe Biden (2021-2022), among other positions since 2010
- Reggie Greer, senior advisor on LGBTQ issues at the White House since 2021
- Michael Guest, Assistant Press Secretary
- Kathleen Hartnett, Special Assistant and Associate Legal Counsel to the President, Office of the White House Counsel
- Shin Inouye, Director of Specialty Media, Office of Communications
- Ike Irby, Special Advisor on Climate
- Karine Jean-Pierre, White House Press Secretary
- David Johns, White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans Initiative (2013-2017).
- Lisa Kohn, Policy Assistant, Domestic Policy Council
- Sean Patrick Maloney, various positions
- Sarah McBride, intern
- Gregorio Millett, White House Office of National AIDS Policy
- Alison Nathan, special assistant to President Barack Obama and also as Associate White House Counsel, 2009-2010
- Matt Nosanchuk, Office of Public Engagement, Director for Outreach on the National Security Council Staff
- Dylan Orr, AIDS Policy
- Kal Penn, Principal Associate Editor in the White House Office of Public Engagement
- Gautam Raghavan, Deputy Director of the White House Presidential Personnel Office
- Ellie Schafer, Director, White House Visitor's Office
- Shamina Singh, various positions
- Jessica Stern, LGBTQ Envoy to the White House
- Nancy Sutley, Chair, White House Council on Environmental Quality
