Senate confirms James ‘Wally’ Brewster as fifth openly LGBT ambassador

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate has confirmed James “Wally” Brewster to serve as the country’s ambassador to the Dominican Republic.

The unanimous vote, which took place Thursday evening, makes Brewster the fifth openly LGBT ambassador confirmed this year after Daniel Baer (OSCE), John Berry (Australia), James Costos (Spain), and Rufus Gifford (Denmark), reports Gay Politics.

“All of us at Victory are delighted by this news,” said Chuck Wolfe, president and CEO of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund and Institute. “Wally’s confirmation makes a powerful statement for the opportunity that LGBT Americans have to promote understanding and inspire respect on the world stage.”

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Previously, Brewster served as the Senior Managing Partner for SB&K Global, a brand strategy and consumer dynamics consulting firm based in Chicago.

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Brewster is a National LGBT Co-Chair for the Democratic National Committee and currently serves on the Board of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Fund.

At the time of the nomination, Chad Griffin, president of the HRC, said Brewster’s “global business and management expertise is matched by his enthusiasm and commitment to human rights and democracy around the world.”

When President Barack Obama took office in 2009, only two previous ambassadors had been openly gay.