Representative George Whitesides

Congressman George Whitesides is proudly serving his first term representing California’s 27th Congressional District and sits on both the House Armed Services Committee and as Vice Ranking Member of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee. He is a problem-solver, innovator, and community leader with a career spanning space industry leadership, job creation, and public service.

Over the past two decades, Congressman Whitesides helped lead NASA to new heights, created hundreds of quality jobs in the Antelope Valley, and supported frontline responders and public health efforts, especially in response to the wildfire crisis.

Congressman Whitesides served as Chief of Staff at NASA during the Obama administration, where he led agency reforms that helped pave the way for America’s current leadership in space. For his contributions, he was awarded NASA’s Distinguished Service Medal, the agency’s highest honor.

Following his time at NASA, Congressman Whitesides became the first CEO of Virgin Galactic, an innovative aerospace company. Over the course of a decade, he created over 700 jobs in the Antelope Valley, transformed Virgin Galactic from a small team into a global aerospace firm, and oversaw the first woman to reach space aboard a commercial space vehicle.

As wildfires have become increasingly destructive across Southern California, Congressman Whitesides has prioritized public safety and climate resilience. He co-founded a policy nonprofit solely dedicated to addressing the nation’s wildfire crisis and home insurance problems. Now, he’s helping his community and neighbors rebuild from the devastating fires, and working on proactive solutions to prevent the next crisis.

Locally, Congressman Whitesides has demonstrated his economic and social leadership through positions on business development boards and task forces. He previously served on the board of AV EDGE (Antelope Valley Economic Development and Growth Enterprise), helping drive economic growth and opportunity in the region. He co-chaired the Antelope Valley COVID-19 Task Force, uniting NASA, industry, local government, and Antelope Valley College to support frontline medical workers — work that earned him NASA’s Exceptional Public Achievement Medal.

George and his wife, Loretta Hidalgo Whitesides, have been married for nearly 20 years and raise their two children together.