Transgender candidate announces for Shelby County Commission

Only one transgender person holds elected office in Tennessee. (Photo: Getty Images)

Technology consultant Lena Chipman will attempt to become the second transgender person elected to local office in Tennessee and first in Memphis.

Chipman announced her candidacy for the Shelby County Commission Thursday. 

If Chipman wins, she will join Nashville Metro Council Member Olivia Hill as the only other transgender elected official in the state. 

“Representation is really important,” Chipman said. “One of the things I’ve tried to do is to show up and show that trans people are just like everybody else: I’m a wife, a mom, I’m a tech entrepreneur.”

The number of transgender women in public office in the U.S. did not increase between May 2024 and June 2025, while the number of trans men in office increased by one, according to a report from the LGBTQ+ Victory Institute. 

Chipman is running to replace Michael Whaley — who is term-limited from running again — in District 13, which encompasses east and midtown Memphis.

She said part of what influenced her to run is to provide a voice for marginalized communities during a time in which the federal government — including a task force in Memphis — is focused on deporting immigrants. 

“You understand what it’s like to be targeted by the government,” she said. “You learn that empathy for how other people are living their lives and you learn it’s important to use your privilege to benefit others.” 

Hill said that when she ran for office in Nashville, she focused on outworking criticism or pushback she received for being trans. 

“I tried my best to distance myself as a trans human and to focus on showing I was a qualified person,” said Hill, an engineer and U.S. Navy veteran. “I said ‘these are the skills I have; I’m just looking for a right to sit at the table and fix the broken parts of Nashville.’”

The principal of a startup company, Chipman is one of three candidates who have declared their candidacies for the seat: Amber Huett-Garcia, currently a member of the Memphis-Shelby County Schools Board, announced her campaign via Facebook. LaGina Mitchell Scott, a school counselor, is also running. 

Chipman has lived in Memphis since 1980 and holds both a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree from the University of Memphis. She is a board member for the MidSouth LGBT Chamber of Commerce. 

She said she hopes she can serve as an example for other transgender Tennesseans who aspire to office. 

“Being transgender is just one part of my identity but I hope it inspires another generation of leadership,” she said. “I’m breaking a glass ceiling that exists.”

The primary election for Shelby County offices, including mayor and county commissioners, is scheduled for May 5, 2026; the general election will be Aug. 6, 2026.