Ames Simmons is a queer white trans man serving as Policy Director at National Center for Transgender Equality. He provides vision and direction for NCTE’s policy strategies and approach, including federal and state advocacy to achieve NCTE’s mission of empathy, opportunity, and justice for transgender people. His work is grounded in community-based anti-racism, anti-violence, and anti-poverty efforts. His previous roles include policy director at Equality North Carolina, and assistant general counsel at a healthcare company assisting uninsured patients with Medicaid. Ames attended Agnes Scott College in Decatur, GA, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Spanish, and Emory University Law School, where he earned a Juris Doctor degree. Ames holds a senior lecturing fellowship at Duke University School of Law.