COMMUNICATION. ORGANIZATION. LEADERSHIP. IMPACT.
Donna M. Harper enjoyed a successful career and retired from IRS - Criminal Investigation with over 28 years of Federal Government experience.
She began her IRS career in the Atlanta Field Office as a Special Agent before being promoted to the position of Supervisory Special Agent. As an investigator and supervisor, she worked, planned, and managed complex tax, money laundering, conspiracy, and bank secrecy violations both domestically and internationally involving individuals, small businesses, corporations, trusts, organized crime syndicates, narcotics trafficking, public corruption, financial institution fraud, and terrorism financing. Leading teams of special agents and analysts by coordinating case selection, case development, and intelligence efforts, the successful implementation of a broad spectrum of financial investigative tools and techniques yielded significant criminal prosecutions.
After being promoted to Headquarters where she amassed extensive experience in various positions as a Management Official in Global Financial Crimes, Planning and Strategy, and the Office of International Operations. She independently provided guidance and direction for National and International Programs including the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA), Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Automatic Exchange of Information (AEOI), Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Compliance (addressing U.S. Taxpayers who failed to report income from offshore bank accounts), International Tax Compliance, Whistleblower Program, Fraud Referrals, Bank Secrecy Act, Business Performance Review, Organization Restructuring, Performance Management, Sensitive Case Reports, Special Agent Hiring Coordinator, and International Training. Additionally, she was responsible for the Annual Business Plan for IRS-CI: Investigative, Organizational, and Communications Strategy, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration Liaison, and Budget Initiatives.
As a Program Manager, she assessed and evaluated programs for efficiencies, recommending quality improvements to promote operational, strategic, and professional development. She provided oversight and influenced international investigations while implementing the Whole of Government Approach for coordinating Headquarters and Field Office level actions, investigations, communications, presentations, and strategic plans.
In addition, as the Senior Advisor to the Executive Director of International Operations, Donna provided recommendations for policies, procedures, and operations, assisting in matters affecting organizational resources (both human and financial). She also performed Risk Management, identifying and tracking reputational, organizational, and financial risks, developed corresponding Mitigation Strategies and Plans of Action, working collaboratively with the civil and criminal functions of IRS. Donna led Coordination Meetings for Joint International Tax Shelter Information Center (JITSIC) – Global High Wealth Net Worth Individuals and developed the business case operational plan, identified case examples, and statistical analysis for program implementation. Additionally, she was the Liaison for U.S. Governmental Contacts with International Governmental Departments, Tax Authorities, and Law Enforcement Agencies. Work included developing and conducting Needs Assessment/Business Impact Statement Reports.
As the Liaison and Subject Matter Expert on Human Resources matters, Donna drafted position description requirements, interview questions, and assisted in the vetting and interviews of prospective new hires. Related work involved Organization Restructuring and Performance Management.
As a Certified Basic Instructor, she regularly facilitated course instruction for Supervisory/Management Officials of IRS-CI and for officials of foreign countries. She regularly provided the U.S. perspective on matters involving how to conduct international tax crime investigations, as well as, the national management, oversight, strategic planning, and policy implementation associated with international tax crimes, money laundering, terrorism financing, transnational organized crime, and public corruption. She authored – International Training Material/Presentations used agency-wide, developed the agency International Training Strategy and the materials/ presentations used for the Criminal Investigation International Visitors’ Program where she developed pertinent needs based agendas for foreign delegations and officials.
She retired on March 30, 2019.