WASHINGTON — Pennsylvania Health Secretary Rachel Levine, who is openly transgender, has been nominated to become assistant secretary of health under President-elect Joe Biden’s administration, The Associated Press is reporting.
“Dr. Rachel Levine will bring the steady leadership and essential expertise we need to get people through this pandemic – no matter their zip code, race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability – and meet the public health needs of our country in this critical moment and beyond,” the statement read.
With the nomination, Levine, who has served in her current position since 2017, could soon make history: If confirmed, she would become the first openly transgender person to receive U.S. Senate confirmation for a federal post, according to the AP.
In a statement, Biden called Levine a “deeply qualified choice” for the job, the AP reported.
Levine, who graduated from Harvard University and Tulane Medical School, is a pediatrician and formerly served as Pennsylvania’s physician general, according to the AP.
– The Associated Press contributed to this report.