Gil Cisneros
Gilbert Ray Cisneros Jr. (born February 12, 1971) is an American government official, philanthropist, and politician who served as Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness in the Biden administration. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the U.S. representative for California's 39th congressional district from 2019 to 2021.
Gil Cisneros | |
|---|---|
| 10th Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness | |
| In office August 24, 2021 – September 8, 2023 | |
| President | Joe Biden |
| Preceded by | Matthew Donovan |
| Succeeded by | Ashish Vazirani (acting) |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 39th district | |
| In office January 3, 2019 – January 3, 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Ed Royce |
| Succeeded by | Young Kim |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Gilbert Ray Cisneros Jr. February 12, 1971 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic (2008–present) |
| Other political affiliations | Republican (before 2008) |
| Spouse | Jacki |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | George Washington University (BA) Regis University (MBA) Brown University (MA) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch/service | United States Navy |
| Rank | Lieutenant Commander |
In 2010, he and his wife won a $266 million Mega Millions lottery jackpot and became philanthropists. He was elected to the House in 2018 to represent California's 39th congressional district. He was defeated in his 2020 bid for reelection by former California State Assembly member Young Kim, whom he had defeated in 2018. In April 2021, he was nominated by President Biden to serve as Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, and after confirmation by the Senate, he assumed office on August 24, 2021. On August 1, 2023, he announced he was stepping down from his position in the Pentagon in early September. On September 18 he announced his candidacy for California's 31st congressional district in the 2024 election.