GLAAD President Neil Giuliano to Speak at Equality Conference

GLAAD is a national organization dedicated to ensuring fair, accurate and inclusive representation of LGBT people and events in the media.

"Neil is a remarkable leader in our movement and we're excited to have him join us for our first conference," said Ian Palmquist, Equality NC's executive director. "His perspective as a national leader, a media advocate, and a former elected official will be a great addition to the incredible schedule that's developing for the conference and gala."

Conference registration will open on Wednesday, September 12. Check back for more information.

About Neil Giuliano

Neil G. Giuliano serves as President of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD). GLAAD is one of the largest national LGBT organizations and the only one dedicated to ensuring fair, accurate and inclusive representation of LGBT people and events in the media as a means of eliminating homophobia and discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation. Mr. Giuliano joined GLAAD on September 1, 2005.

GLAAD’s work and influence within the entertainment industry, national and regional news organizations and with journalists at all levels has led to sweeping change in the ways that LGBT people are portrayed in the media. The widely known and popular GLAAD Media Awards has recognized the best of such images for seventeen years. The 2006 GLAAD Media Awards was the most widely broadcast LGBT event in history, available to approximately 85 million homes via their telecast on Logo and VH-1.

Mr. Giuliano has appeared on CNN, ABC World News Tonight, Showbiz Tonight, and Access Hollywood and has been quoted in Newsweek and USA Today and numerous state and regional media outlets discussing LGBT images in the media and issues. He is considered among the nations most visible and effective leaders of the movement for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender equality, earning recognition as one of Instinct Magazine’s Top 25 of 2005.

A popular motivational speaker, educator and consultant, Mr. Giuliano has spoken before groups of 15 to one million people on issues of human rights, leadership development and organizational change, sharing ideas and thoughts to motivate others to greater success and advancement. In 2004, he received the Individual Achievement Award from the Arizona Human Rights Fund and for three years was recognized for Distinguished Service of the Year by readers of the largest LGBT publication serving Arizona.

Prior to his appointment as President by the GLAAD Board of Directors, Mr. Giuliano served for ten years as the mayor of Tempe, Arizona (1994-2004, pop: 170,000) and also had a 25-year career as a senior administrator at Arizona State University (ASU), the largest public university in the United States. His posts with ASU included directing student leadership development, alumni relations, federal government relations and community relations. As a Faculty Associate in ASU’s College of Liberal Arts and Science, Mr. Giuliano created and then taught a course in Personal Leadership Development for twenty years. He also served as lead organizer and co-chair for the final 2004 Presidential Debate held at ASU, which was viewed by over 57 million people nationwide and around the world.

Recognizing Mr. Giuliano’s leadership and accomplishment, Tempe, Arizona was named an All America City in 2003; an award presented by the National Civic League that is considered the “Oscar” for local government success.

As mayor of one of the largest cities in the generally conservative state of Arizona, Mr. Giuliano was among the nation's most visible openly gay elected officials, whose track record of successful coalition building won him endorsement by the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund and overwhelming public support. First elected with 54% of the vote, he was elected to his fourth term with a 70% margin of victory. Mr. Giuliano chose not to seek a 5th term in 2004 and was consulting in the real estate development sector in Phoenix and Las Vegas at the time of his appointment at GLAAD.

While mayor, Mr. Giuliano was active with the US Conference of Mayors, served on the Board of Directors and as Vice-Chair of the National Advisory Council of the National League of Cities, and is profiled in the book Trailblazers: Stories of America’s Openly Gay Officials.

In ten years as Tempe, Arizona’s Mayor, Mr. Giuliano established a Human Relations Commission, sought appointment of a Hate Crimes Liaison officer in the Police Department, secured management support for a non-discrimination policy that includes sexual orientation and gender identity, and cast the tie-breaking vote providing domestic partner benefits for city employees.

Mr. Giuliano received a BA degree from the Hugh Downs School of Communication in 1979 and a M.Ed. degree in Higher Education Administration in 1983, both from Arizona State University, where he served as Student Body President.