John Otto Takes Position with the National Center for Transgender Equality

I recently moved to Washington DC to take a position with the National Center for Transgender Equality. Founded in 2003, NCTE is a national social justice organization devoted to ending discrimination and violence against transgender people through education and advocacy on national issues of importance to transgender people.

I am filling the newly created Privacy and Documentation Program Manager position at NCTE . Translated, that means I am working on information privacy and identity document issues, such as drivers licenses, passports, Social Security records, and medical record privacy, plus federal legislation and policy that affects transgender people. Sometimes these policies intentionally affect transgender people; sometimes they are unintended consequences of legislation meant to do other things, such as the REAL ID Act.

I am thrilled to be doing this work and it is a dream come true to have employment that combines my undergraduate work in transgender studies--for which I was supported by GSBA with a scholarship--and my Master of Library and Information Science degree. It's as if this job was tailor-made for me. This job also allows me to "change the way people think" (as I told the GSBA scholarship interview committee I wanted to do) and to change the world in some very practical ways. I seriously think that without my scholarship from GSBA, that the chain of events leading me to this job would never have happened. Thanks to you and everyone at GSBA, and all of the funders, for being part of me doing this work!

best,
John Otto
2003 GSBA Scholar