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(Speech made 9/24/11 at the AZ Biltmore Resort and Spa)

2011 Barry Goldwater Human Rights Individual Award: Neil G. Giuliano

Neil G. Giuliano is not literally a homegrown hero, but Tempe, AZ has been his true home for more than 30 years, and almost all of that time has involved public service in one form or another. He moved here initially as a transfer student, and though his career has taken him to New York City, Los Angeles and now San Francisco, he has never stayed away for very long. Here’s a snapshot of just why is such a deserving recipient of the 2011 Barry Goldwater Human Rights Individual Award.

In 1994, Giuliano became the youngest person ever elected mayor of Tempe, Arizona, a post he held for a decade. For six of those years, Tempe (pop 175,000) was the largest city in America with an openly gay mayor. He served on the board of directors of the National League of Cities, and in 2003, Tempe earned the “All-American City” award, a coveted honor bestowed on local governments demonstrating exceptional success in problem solving. Concurrent to his work as a public official, he held numerous senior roles at Arizona State University, including director of federal relations and co-chair of the final presidential debate of the 2004 election.

He left ASU in 2005 to serve as president of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) and executive producer of GLAAD Media Awards. At GLAAD, he expanded the organization’s media advocacy and anti-defamation work to include religious and faith-based communities, sports and advertising media. Under his leadership, the GLAAD Media Awards appeared for the first time on BRAVO, VH-1 and Logo television networks.

In December, 2010 Neil was appointed CEO of San Francisco AIDS Foundation where he is now applying his three decades of executive leadership experience to one of the oldest and largest AIDS organizations in the world. Established in 1982, San Francisco AIDS Foundation confronts HIV in communities most vulnerable to the disease every day through education, advocacy and direct services for prevention and care.

Giuliano has received numerous awards and honors for his work in public policy and community activism. He was named to the “Out 100” by Out Magazine in 2005 and was invited as a distinguished lecturer to the William J. Clinton School of Public Service at the Clinton Presidential Library in 2009. He recently completed a memoir, “The Campaign Within,” to be published in 2012.

(Article from EqualityAZ.com)

For more on the award visit – http://www.equalityarizona.org/award-winners/

Video and event produced by Sonoran Studios, Phoenix AZ. All rights reserved – www.sonoranstudios.com – info@sonoranstudios.com or (602) 283-4440. Video for web, social media, web, events or broadcast. Twitter: @SonoranStudios

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