Press Release

Obama Nominates Out Lesbian as Top Environmental Advisor

Mon, Dec 15th 2008, 16:13

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Denis Dison (202) 842-7308, denis.dison@victoryfund.org

Washington, D.C.—The Gay & Lesbian Leadership Institute today issued the following statement from its president and CEO, Chuck Wolfe, on the nomination of Nancy Sutley to chair the White House Council on Environmental Quality:
 
“President-elect Obama’s nomination of Nancy Sutley is another step toward full equality for gay Americans.  It sends a signal to young people that they can participate in their government at its highest levels, regardless of their sexual orientation, gender or ethnicity.  We will continue to work hard to ensure qualified, talented individuals like Nancy Sutley who are openly gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender can serve at all levels of government,” Wolfe said.
 
About Nancy Sutley
 
Nancy Sutley, deputy mayor for energy and environment in Los Angeles, is a member of the Obama-Biden Transition Team on environmental and energy matters.  She previously served as a special assistant to Carol Browner, the E.P.A. Administrator appointed by President Bill Clinton.  Sutley, 46, received her M.A. in public policy from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard.
 
About the Council on Environmental Quality
 
The Council on Environmental Quality coordinates federal environmental efforts and works closely with agencies and other White House offices in the development of environmental policies and initiatives. The Council's chair serves as the principal environmental policy adviser to the President. In addition, CEQ reports annually to the President on the state of the environment; oversees federal agency implementation of the environmental impact assessment process; and acts as a referee when agencies disagree over the adequacy of such assessments.
 
The Gay & Lesbian Leadership Institute (GLLI) works to build, train and support the network of public leaders who are openly gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender.   Nearly 800 openly LGBT elected and appointed officials serve worldwide.  For more information, visit www.glli.org.
 
GLLI is leading the Presidential Appointments Project, a community wide-effort to ensure that the next president has access to a talented, vetted pool of openly LGBT individuals who wish to serve as presidential appointees.  For more information on the project, visit www.glli.org/presidential.