State worker poses in Playboy feature

The state of Nevada got some unexpected publicity in October's issue of Playboy: Amy Baker, who is an administrative assistant in the Department of Employment Training and Rehabilitation, appears unclad as the magazine's featured "Employee of the Month."

While the photos raised a few eyebrows, she won't face any official problems for posing nude.

"What our employees do on their own time is their business," said Keith Munro, chief of staff to Gov. Kenny Guinn. "As long as it's not illegal or affects the performance of their job, we don't get into those matters."

He said her decision to pose for the magazine is her own business.

"This is something I did on my own time, outside my work," she said, even refusing to discuss the Playboy piece during work hours because that's state time.

She said the image she portrayed in the magazine is also for after hours: "I have to look classy on the job because when I run errands over to the Governor's Office, I'm representing my department."

Baker said it took nearly three years for her to decide to send her pictures to Playboy. After she had some photos taken for a boyfriend serving in the military overseas, several people urged her to submit them to the magazine.

"I did a lot of soul searching," she said. "I couldn't have done it without my family's consent."

She submitted photos early this year, but says she didn't really expect Playboy to call.

"I can't tell you how excited I was when they called."

They flew her to Beverly Hills for the photo shoot in a mansion that was once the home of Marilyn Monroe and Joe Dimaggio. She said she was very impressed by how professional the magazine's people and photographers were.

"They made everything so comfortable. I wouldn't pose nude for any other magazine."

As for the attributes that convinced Playboy to call, Baker credits her mother and grandmother.

"I'm genetically blessed," she said.

She said she's hoping the magazine article will open some doors in the entertainment industry: possibly modeling, which she has done in the past; or commercial or television work. But anything to do with the pornography industry, she said, is out of the question.

Baker admits she was a little apprehensive about how friends, co-workers and others would react.

"You don't know how people are going to react when it comes out," she said.

Thus far, however, "Everybody has been so supportive, said wonderful things."

She concedes not everyone will think this was a good decision on her part.

"I know Playboy isn't for everybody but, you know, they don't have to look at it. It's perfectly fine for them to have that opinion. It doesn't hurt my feelings."

And she said it's much less an issue among people in her age group than older generations. For her, she said, it was a good choice.

Even so, she's not planning to give up her day job. After five years with the state, she said she loves what she does, and hopes her work ethic and abilities will move her up the ladder to management.

In addition, she is returning to college this spring to work on her bachelor's degree in business administration.

She said she's keeping all her options open.

"I'm one of those people who believes you can have the best of both worlds."

• Contact reporter Geoff Dornan at gdornan@nevadaappeal.com or 687-8750.s