From: owner-hrc-news@netra-1.hrcusa.org Date: Wed, 1 Oct 1997 20:58:41 -0400 ________________________________________________________ NEWS from the Human Rights Campaign 1101 14th Street NW Washington, DC 20005 email: hrc@hrc.org WWW: http://www.hrc.org ________________________________________________________ FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wednesday, Oct. 1, 1997 WHITE HOUSE ANNOUNCES APPOINTMENT OF HIGHEST-RANKING OPENLY GAY OFFICIAL EVER TO SERVE IN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HRC Applauds Clinton's Continuing Efforts to Make His Administration Look Like America WASHINGTON -- The Human Rights Campaign welcomed the appointment today of longtime lesbian and gay rights advocate Virginia M. Apuzzo as an assistant to the president, making her the highest-ranking openly gay official ever to serve in the federal government. "We applaud this appointment as yet another step in President Clinton's promise to made his administration look like America," said Elizabeth Birch, HRC's executive director, "and we look forward to more appointments and nominations of openly gay people in Clinton's second term." Apuzzo, of Kingston, N.Y., was named assistant to the president for management and administration at the White House. In this position, she will direct all the management and administration functions of the White House complex and have oversight responsibilities for all agencies of the executive office of the president. These include White House intern program, the photography office, the telephone service and the travel office. The Human Rights Campaign has been working closely with the White House to screen and recommend qualified openly gay candidates to a variety of posts in Clinton's second term. Since 1996, Apuzzo has been associate deputy secretary of labor at the U.S. Department of Labor. Before joining the administration, she was president of the New York State Civil Service Commission and commissioner of the New York State Department of Civil Service, positions for which she was nominated by the governor and confirmed by the state Senate. From 1985 to 1991, Apuzzo served as deputy executive director of the New York State Consumer Protection Board. For part of that time, from 1986 to 1989, she served concurrently as the governor's liaison to the gay and lesbian community. Earlier in her career, Apuzzo was executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. The Human Rights Campaign is the largest national lesbian and gay political organization, with members throughout the country. It effectively lobbies Congress, provides campaign support and educates the public to ensure that lesbian and gay Americans can be open, honest and safe at home, at work and in the community. - 30 - Sender: owner-hrc-news@netra-1.hrcusa.org Precedence: bulk