WASHINGTON (AP) President-elect Joe Biden has tapped Pennsylvania Health Secretary Rachel Levine to be his assistant secretary of health, leaving her poised to become the first openly transgender federal official to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate .

A pediatrician and former Pennsylvania physician general, Levine was appointed to her current post by Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf in 2017, making her one of the few transgender people serving in elected or appointed positions nationwide. She won past confirmation by the Republican-majority Pennsylvania Senate and has emerged as the public face of the states response to the coronavirus pandemic .

Dr. Rachel Levine will bring the steady leadership and essential expertise we need to get people through this pandemic no matter their zip code, race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability and meet the public health needs of our country in this critical moment and beyond, Biden said in a statement. She is a historic and deeply qualified choice to help lead our administrations health efforts.

A graduate of Harvard and of Tulane Medical School, Levine is president of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials. Shes written in the past on the opioid crisis, medical marijuana, adolescent medicine, eating disorders and LGBTQ medicine.