• English / United States: Whitney
• Japanese / Japan: アカネ
• Japanese (Romanized) / Japan: Akane
• Japanese (Trans) / Japan: Akane

Whitney, the Gym Leader of Goldenrod City, first appeared when Pikachu ran into Whitney's Clefairy while on the way to the Goldenrod Galleria. Since the group was lost, Whitney offered to guide them to the Goldenrod Galleria. Although Whitney claimed to know the way, she ended up taking the group in the wrong direction. Everyone was beginning to get hungry after trying to find the correct path, so Brock suggested they search for the hamburger stand they saw earlier. On the way, Whitney takes the wrong path again and leads the group unintentionally to their initial destination, the Goldenrod Galleria.

While at the Galleria, Whitney's Clefairy wandered off from the group. Whitney didn't notice that Whitney's Clefairy had gone missing until they exited the store. At that point, Team Rocket bagged Whitney's Clefairy and took off. Whitney and the group saw them and chased them into the train station. Ash Ketchum and Pikachu attempted to fight Team Rocket, but Jessie was too scared of Pikachu's Thunderbolt and immediately handed back Whitney's Clefairy. Team Rocket then caught the group off guard and snagged Pikachu instead. Whitney and Whitney's Clefairy were able to fight Team Rocket and retrieve Pikachu. Afterwards, Whitney reveals to Ash Ketchum that she is in fact the Goldenrod City Gym Leader. Thus, they head straight to the gym for a battle.

The battle started with Whitney's Nidorina going up against Ash's Cyndaquil. Whitney's Nidorina was taken out almost instantly by a Flamethrower, putting Whitney at an early disadvantage. Next, Whitney fought back with Whitney's Clefairy. Clefairy tried to fight using its Metronome attack, which caused Clefairy to imitate a Magikarp with a Splash attack. Ash's Cyndaquil fought back with Flamethrower, forcing Whitney to recall Whitney's Clefairy and forfeit the round. However, Whitney turned the tables with her last choice, Whitney's Miltank. Whitney's Miltank was easily able to take out Ash's Cyndaquil with a powerful Rollout attack. Whitney's Miltank was then able to take out Ash's Totodile with another Rollout attack. Whitney's Miltank then took out Pikachu with another series of Rollout attacks, giving victory in the match to Whitney.

Whitney then meets up with Ash Ketchum and the rest of the group in the Pokémon Center. She leads the group to her uncle Milton's Miltank Dairy Farm, where the group tries out some of the fresh Miltank Milk. Whitney tells Ash Ketchum to let Pikachu, Ash's Cyndaquil, and Ash's Totodile drink some of the milk too, as it will power them up. Whitney then goes to bring back some cheese and other dairy products for the Pokémon to try, but she finds Team Rocket attempting to steal the food. Whitney fights back against James's Weezing and Jessie's Arbok with Miltank, who takes them both out instantly with a Rollout attack.

Afterwards, Whitney leads the group to the top of a hill, where she continues to train Whitney's Miltank. However, Team Rocket appears and steals Whitney's Miltank and Pikachu. However, Ash Ketchum fights back with Ash's Totodile and Ash's Cyndaquil to take back the Pokémon. Soon after, Ash Ketchum asks Whitney for a rematch against Miltank, and if he wins, he gets a rematch at the Goldenrod Gym for the Plain Badge. Whitney's Miltank is able to easily take out Ash's Cyndaquil and Ash's Totodile, however Ash's Totodile was able to create ditches that stopped Whitney's Miltank's Rollout attack and allowed Pikachu to defeat Whitney's Miltank. Despite it not being an official Gym Battle, Whitney rewarded Ash Ketchum with the Plain Badge for being able to defeat her top Pokémon.