Neil G. Giuliano

Neil G. Giuliano was appointed CEO of San Francisco AIDS Foundation in December, 2010, bringing over three decades of executive leadership experience to the foundation. Established in 1982, San Francisco AIDS Foundation is one of the oldest and largest AIDS organizations in the world. Through education, advocacy and direct services for prevention and care, everyday the foundation confronts HIV in communities most vulnerable to the disease.

Before joining the foundation, Giuliano served 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 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.

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.

Giuliano received a bachelor’s degree in communication and a master’s in higher education from Arizona State University , where he served as student body president in the early 1980’s. He has also completed the Harvard Kennedy School of Government Advanced Program for State and Local Officials.