Neil Giuliano

Neil G. Giuliano is an American gay rights activist. Giuliano was the former four-term Republican mayor (1994-2004) of Tempe, Arizona. He chaired the commission in charge of hosting the third debate of the 2004 United States presidential elections. He has served as President of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) since September 1, 2005.

Education and work at ASU
Giuliano graduated with a BA degree from what is now the Hugh Downs School of Communication at Arizona State University in 1979, and received a Master's Degree in Education there in 1983. While a student there, he served as Student Body President and also as the 1977-78 International President of Circle K International (CKI), the world's largest collegiate service organization. Giuliano had a 25 year career with ASU as a university administrator and faculty associate. 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, 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.

=Community Service= He was an active member of the Kiwanis Club of Tempe, serving as advisor to the Arizona State University chapter of Circle K International and later as President of the club.

Political career
He served four terms as Mayor of Tempe, Arizona from 1994-2004.

GLAAD
Giuliano serves as President of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), a large national LGBT organization dedicated to ensuring fair, accurate and inclusive representation of LGBT people and events in the media. Some members of the gay community have questioned Giuliano's motives because of his conservative views and Republican party membership. For example, although he is pro-LGBT, many worry that his political views are alienating to people of color.

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.

Awards and recognition
Giuliano was named one of the Top 25 of 2005 by Instinct Magazine. 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.