The Senate on Friday confirmed David Huebner to become ambassador of New Zealand and Samoa, making him the third openly gay man in U.S. history to assume an ambassador post.

Huebner, the general counsel for the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation and partner at Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton, was nominated last month, with an announcement that coincided with the National Equality March and President Barack Obama's speech before the Human Rights Campaign's national dinner.

He joins Jim Hormel (ambassador to Luxembourg under President Bill Clinton) and Michael Guest (ambassador to Romania under President George W. Bush) as one of three openly gay men to be serve in the high-ranking diplomatic post.