IRS Jobs: Lee Giurlanda's Career Narrative
By:
Jim Hasse
Summary:
As Chief Accessibility Coordinator for the IRS' Wage and Investment Division, Lee Giurlanda seeks to expand the IRS recruitment, hiring and advancement of individuals with all types of disabilities.
Lee Giurlanda How to Start Your Career With the IRS
- Lee Giurlanda
- e-mail address: lee.giurlanda@irs.gov
View video message from Lee:
http://www.xable.com/videos/100187
- Location:
- Richmond, Virginia
- Education:
- AA degree in communications from Phoenix College, 1970.
- Current Position:
- Chief Accessibility Coordinator.
- Organization:
- Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - 1973 to the present.
- Previous Employer:
- Sun Mountain Broadcasting, 1970 - 1973.
- Accomplishments:
- First totally blind Senior Manager at the Internal Revenue Service.
Received the IRS Employee of the Year award in 2007.
Currently coordinates the Lions World Services for the Blind program for the IRS.
In July, 1973, completed the Taxpayer Service Program at Lions World Services for the Blind in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Started his IRS career as a Taxpayer Service Representative in San Diego, California. Quickly moved into positions of increasing technical expertise and responsibility in front and mid-level management. Became Operations Manager of IRS' Accounts Management call-center in Richmond, Virginia in 1998.
In September 2004, named the National Accessibility Coordinator for the Accounts Management Operation of IRS.
In April, 2007, the IRS expanded his role to that of Chief Accessibility Coordinator for the Wage and Investment Division of IRS.
While in his last two positions, served as the Coordinator for the Cooperative Training Program IRS sponsors with Lions World Services for the Blind in Little Rock, Arkansas. In September 24, 2007, the IRS/Lions World Program received the 2007 "Freedom to Compete" Award from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in Washington D.C.
- Disability:
- Totally blind, due to two separate accidents.
- Quote About Competing in Sighted World:
- "The key is a positive attitude. Recognize that if we want to compete and succeed in the sighted world, we must be a positive role model. When preparing for a career, get as much computer training on adaptive equipment as possible."
- Passion:
- Lee seeks to expand the IRS recruitment and hiring of individuals with all types of disabilities and to promote their retention and advancement.
Lee believes that creating fair and equitable job opportunities for individuals with disabilities begins with supporting and educating the internal management of organizations about the "abilities" people with disabilities possess to make them desirable candidates for jobs.
He believes the key to success in this effort is to help co-workers at all management levels feel comfortable in their daily interactions with and their management of employees with disabilities.
To institute this concept into organizational culture, Lee has initiated an IRS training program, "Managing Employees with Disabilities," to educate managers about accessibility and communication issues.
To foster progress in support of his office's efforts, Lee has established a network of Local Accessibility Coordinators, who are on hand in many IRS offices nationwide to help managers and their employees deal with work-related issues that might be encountered by individuals with disabilities.
- Lee's Web Presence:
- EQUITY Profile of the Month: IRS Recruitment and Hiring of Individuals with Disabilities
How to Start Your Career With the IRS
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