George Whitesides, U.S. Representative, California (27th District)

Congressman George Whitesides – U.S. Representative for California’s 27th District

Congressman George Whitesides represents California’s 27th Congressional District, which includes parts of northern Los Angeles County, including the Antelope Valley and Santa Clarita Valley. His background spans public service, aerospace leadership, and nonprofit work focused on science, innovation, and emergency preparedness.

Whitesides earned his undergraduate degree from Princeton University and a master’s degree in regional studies from the University of Cambridge. Early in his career, he served as Executive Director of the National Space Society and as a senior advisor to Virgin Galactic, a private aerospace company focused on commercial spaceflight.

He was appointed Chief of Staff at NASA during the Obama administration, where he supported leadership of the agency’s 15,000-person workforce and helped manage priorities including commercial space partnerships, science missions, and budget coordination.

Following his tenure at NASA, Whitesides served as CEO of Virgin Galactic and its parent company, Virgin Galactic Holdings, Inc. Under his leadership, the company expanded operations in California’s Antelope Valley and played a role in the development of commercial spaceflight technologies.

In addition to his work in aerospace, Whitesides co-founded a nonprofit organization focused on addressing the growing threat of megafires in the western United States. The organization supports public health and emergency response efforts, working with first responders and community leaders to improve wildfire preparedness and resilience.

Whitesides was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2024 and took office in January 2025. His legislative priorities include job creation, infrastructure development, science and technology innovation, wildfire prevention, and public safety.

He lives in California with his wife, Loretta, an author and space advocate. They have two children.