Pam Daniels (1955 -) was born in Teaneck, New Jersey. Her professional life spans five decades in broadcast journalism and multimedia as well as broadcast engineering. computer software development, sales, and support by a company she owned and operated.
A self-published author on Amazon, Pam Daniels’ first book “Silent Drums,” reports never before told American LGBTQ+ civil rights history.
As a Republican Pam teamed up with her dear friend, the late Babs Siperstein, who was the first openly transgender person to serve on the Democratic National Committee. Babs and Pam lobbied together for LGBTQ+ civil rights both on Capitol Hill in Washington DC and the New Jersey State Legislature in Trenton. Appointed the first openly transgender woman to serve on the historic, century old, New Jersey Federation of Republican Women Board of Governors, Pam became the first openly transgender woman to serve on any of the 50 state federations. In 2013 Pam worked tirelessly to get 10 Republican U.S. Senators to vote with Democrats to pass the 1st LGBTQ+ Civil Rights legislation in American history, the “Transgender Inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act.” Pam had also lined up enough Republican votes in the U.S. House of Representatives to pass “Inclusive ENDA” and send it to President Obama for his signature, but, then Speaker of the House, John Boehner, would not allow a floor vote. Pam’s subsequent efforts to get a “discharge petition” to force a floor vote was also blocked by house Republican leadership.
At the state level, Pam’s activism led to final passage and the signing into law of New Jersey’s Transgender Birth Certificate Bill, which was named “Babs Siperstein’s Law.” Aside from getting nearly a third of all Republican members of the state legislature to vote for the bill’s passage, Pam also personally got former Governor’s Jim Florio and Christie Whitman to co-sign a statement of support for the legislation.
Pam’s broadcasting career began in 1973 while attending Northeastern University in Boston. Aside from serving as Chief Engineer and Station Manager of Northeastern’s FM station she also worked as a federally licensed broadcast engineer at WBZ AM, FM and TV. Majoring in Electrical Engineering/Communications and minoring in Journalism, Pam helped design and construct a new, upgraded radio newsroom but also regularly wrote stories for the WBZ Radio News on air anchors. Pam also wrote, reported, and anchored newscasts on the college Radio Station, WRBB FM. In July of 1977 Pam was offered and accepted the opportunity to move to Nogales Arizona where she designed, constructed, and managed KAYN FM from November 1977 through August of 1985.
Shortly after moving back to New Jersey Pam was hired as a news anchor and reporter for WOBM FM News in Toms River where she won an award for her journalism. Soon after joining WOBM FM News Pam became a News Anchor and reporter at 66 WNBC Radio News and the NBC Radio Network in New York City. Among the many stories of national importance that Pam covered included 1986 Tax Reform and Simpson/Mazzoli Immigration Reform… Pam speaks Spanish as a second language thanks to her 8 years living on the Mexican border in Nogales Arizona, she interviewed several undocumented New Jersey residents while protecting their identities as part of a special report series. Pam also covered the 1988 Presidential Election in the New York Metro area for WNBC Radio and the NBC Radio Network, interviewing both Vice President George H. W. Bush and former Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis. After NBC Radio, local and network had been sold off and broken up in October of 1988 Pam joined WWOR TV Channel 9 News in New York as a writer and producer. Among the many stories Pam covered at Channel 9 News were the rallies staged in New York City in support of demonstrators at Tiananmen Square in Communist China.
Pam’s credentials as a New York Metropolitan area journalist landed her the opportunity to found and launch the news department at New Jersey’s largest radio station, New Jersey 101.5 FM in November of 1989. During her years at the helm of NJ 101.5’s News department Pam focused her team of reporters and anchors on “News Jersey!”
Among the major news stories engaging Garden Staters between late 1989 and late 1993 included:
Former Somerset County Commissioner Christie Todd-Whitman’s historic run for the United States Senate, coming within a percentage point of unseating the extremely popular Senator Bill Bradley.
Newly elected Governor Jim Florio’s huge tax increase resulting in a tax revolt that swept the Garden State.
President George H. W. Bush launches “Operation Dessert Sheild,” followed by “Operation Dessert Storm” involving McGuire Air Force Base… News Jersey’s coverage earned an award from the New Jersey Associated Press Broadcasters Association.
Spurred by the continuing tax revolt, New Jersey voters elect Republicans to control both the State Assembly and State Senate.
Christie Whitman’s candidacy and election as New Jersey’s first female Governor limiting Governor Florio to one term in office.
Pam’s stint at New Jersey 101.5 came to a close during the Christmas/New Year Holidays in ’93 when Governor Elect Whitman asked Pam to join her staff as Director of the Governor’s Office of Radio and Television.
Immediately prior to coming out as a transgender woman, Pam created, produced, and nationally syndicated RockTimeWarp on both terrestrial radio stations, including a flagship 50-thousand-watt FM station in Phoenix, along with Internet radio in 2008 and ‘09. The global financial meltdown forced her to cease production and distribution.
Though semi-retired, Pam is politically active, a proud grandparent, Eagle Scout and former adult Scout leader.