IR-2019-202, December 9, 2019
WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today announced the selection of Sharyn M. Fisk to lead the agency’s Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR).
Fisk has most recently been a professor of tax at the College of Business Administration at Cal Poly Pomona and active in the nation’s tax community in a variety of roles. She will assume leadership of OPR in early 2020.
“This is a critical position for the nation’s tax community. Sharyn Fisk is extremely well respected both internally at the IRS and throughout the tax professional communities. She has a strong set of skills and experience in many different settings that will serve the IRS well in this role,” said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. “Taxpayers, the IRS and the tax community rely on this office to help uphold strong professional standards among tax professionals. We look forward to Ms. Fisk providing meaningful, fair and equitable guidance while also strengthening the oversight of tax professionals.”
OPR oversees all tax practitioners, tax preparers and other third parties in the tax system who practice before the IRS to ensure they adhere to professional standards and follow the law. The office works to increase education, awareness and understanding of Circular 230 and investigates and enforces cases related to Circular 230.
Circular 230 refers to Treasury Department Circular No. 230. The publication establishes the rules governing those who practice before the IRS including attorneys, Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) and Enrolled Agents (EAs).
Fisk’s extensive background in the tax community includes having represented thousands of individuals, businesses and corporate taxpayers before the IRS, the Department of Justice Tax Division, federal and state courts and state taxing authorities. These matters involved civil examinations and appeals, criminal investigations and tax collection issues. Fisk, a certified tax law specialist with the California State Bar, has also served as an adjunct professor teaching graduate and undergraduate level tax at several colleges and universities and recently concluded a term as a member of the IRS Advisory Council (IRSAC).
Fisk previously served as an attorney-advisor for the Honorable Maurice Foley, United States Tax Court in Washington, D.C., and has volunteered to assist unrepresented taxpayers for the pro se tax court calendar. In addition, she has served as director of Cal Poly Pomona’s VITA program and participated in the American Bar Association’s Adopt-A-Base program, where she provided training to military VITA volunteers at a naval base in San Diego.
Fisk is a past chair of the taxation section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association and previously chaired a task force on behalf of the Standards of Tax Practice Committee for the ABA Taxation Section. She has served as a former chair of the Tax Policy, Practice and Legislation Committee, articles editor of the California Tax Lawyer, and as a member of Executive Committee for the Taxation Section of the State Bar of California. Fisk has lectured before national, state and local tax professional organizations. She holds a B.A. in Journalism from San Diego State University, a J.D. from Rutgers University and an LL.M in taxation from the New York University School of Law. Fisk has three children and is married to Nelson Fisk, a retired Marine Lieutenant Colonel.