Loretta F. Harper, Ph.D. has served at the University of Utah since 2000. She was appointed Vice President for Human Resources in 2000 and retired in 2008. She returned to the University of Utah as Chief Human Resources Officer in 2009. She previously served as Associate Vice President for Human Resources at the University of Georgia, Associate Vice Chancellor for Human Resources at North Carolina State University, and various positions at Georgia State University. At the University of Utah, she serves as a member of the President's Cabinet and is responsible for a comprehensive Human Resources Division.

Dr. Harper received her B.B.A. in Management, M.S. in Organizational Development and Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from Georgia State University. She has co-authored two books and numerous journal articles. Her presentations include topics that range from communications between genders to retirement programs. She has designed and delivered leadership development programs for Human Resources executives for College and University Professional Association for Human Resources (CUPA-HR). She has received regional, state and national awards from (CUPA-HR) as well as other organizations.