Biography

George Thomas Whitesides, born on March 3, 1974, in Massachusetts, is an American politician and businessman serving as the U.S. Representative for California's 27th Congressional District since January 3, 2025. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Prior to his political career, Whitesides held significant roles in the aerospace industry and public service. He served as Chief of Staff at NASA under Administrator Charles Bolden during the Obama administration, where he was awarded the NASA Distinguished Service Medal, the agency's highest honor. Following his tenure at NASA, Whitesides became the first CEO of Virgin Galactic, leading the company for over a decade and overseeing the creation of hundreds of jobs in California's Antelope Valley. He also co-founded Megafire Action, an organization dedicated to addressing the nation's wildfire crisis. ,

Education

• Bachelor of Arts in Public and International Affairs from Princeton University, 1996.
• Master of Philosophy in Geographical Information Systems and Remote Sensing from King's College, Cambridge, 2000.
• Fulbright Scholar in Tunisia.

Political Experience

• Chief of Staff at NASA during the Obama administration, leading reforms to enhance U.S. space leadership.
• CEO of Virgin Galactic, expanding the company from a small team to a global aerospace firm and creating 700 jobs in the Antelope Valley.
• Co-founder of Megafire Action, focusing on solving the nation's megafire crisis.
• Co-chair of the Antelope Valley COVID-19 Task Force, bringing together various sectors to support frontline healthcare workers during the pandemic, for which he received NASA’s Exceptional Public Achievement Medal.
• *Board member of the Antelope Valley Economic Development and Growth Enterprise *, working to grow jobs and businesses in the Antelope Valley.
• Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives for California's 27th Congressional District in 2024, defeating incumbent Mike Garcia.
• Member of the House Armed Services Committee, serving on the Cyber, Information Technologies, and Innovation Subcommittee; the Strategic Forces Subcommittee; and the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee.

Whitesides' diverse experience in both the public and private sectors underscores his commitment to innovation, public service, and community development.