The Internal Revenue Service has unveiled several leadership appointments as its work continues implementing the Taxpayer First Act.
Douglas O’Donnell will serve as the new IRS deputy commissioner of services and enforcement. Among other leadership changes, Sunita Lough will be returning to serve as the IRS Commissioner of the Tax Exempt and Government Entities Division.
The changes are part of larger service efforts on the Taxpayer First Act, which includes work to “reimagine” the agency’s tax administration and improving taxpayer service and enforcement.
“Taxpayers need to see the IRS renewing the fight each day for the highest possible service and tax compliance,” said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig.
Lough has served as the IRS deputy commissioner of services and enforcement, since September 2019. She is returning to her prior position as commissioner of TEGE, a role she held from 2014 to 2019.
“Most of her time as deputy commissioner was during the pandemic, and she has overcome every challenge,” Rettig added.
Lough has worked for the IRS for nearly 27 years. She served as the executive project lead for the Tax Reform Implementation Office, spearheading delivery and implementation of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
O’Donnell has been the commissioner of the Large Business and International Division of the IRS since 2015, where he also served as the U.S. competent authority. He began his career at the IRS as a revenue agent in 1986. Since then, he has held several key positions, and received the Presidential Rank Award for Meritorious Executive in 2010.
Among other changes:
- Nikole Flax will take over as commissioner of LB&I after serving as deputy commissioner of the division since 2017. She has held many key roles at the IRS, including IRS chief of staff and assistant deputy commissioner for services and enforcement, among others.
- Holly Paz succeeds Flax as deputy commissioner of LB&I. She is leaving her current role at LB&I as the director of the pass-through entities practice area. She has held other key roles at the IRS including serving as the director of corporate issues and credits in LB&I’s enterprise activities practice area, among others.
- Edward Killen has been serving as acting commissioner of TEGE and will return to the role of deputy commissioner of TEGE. Prior to joining the division, Killen has held several leadership positions including the IRS chief privacy officer and senior advisor to the IRS deputy commissioner of operations support, among others.
