Wake Forest appoints vice president and chief human resources officer

June 20, 2024

Wake Forest University has named Mary Lucal, a nationally known leader in higher education human resources, as vice president and chief human resources officer. She begins August 12.

Lucal currently serves as chief human resources officer and vice president for human resources at George Mason University and previously served for eight years as associate vice chancellor and chief human resources officer at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

“Wake Forest’s people are what make the University such a special place,” said Jacqueline A. Travisano, executive vice president and chief financial officer. “Mary Lucal is a forward-thinking and strategic leader with a reputation for relationship-building and outstanding success developing and implementing campus-wide initiatives based on best practices and data.” 

In her role at Wake Forest, Lucal will lead the development and implementation of human resources strategies and programs across campus. 

“I look forward to joining a dynamic leadership team and engaging with the Wake Forest community,” Lucal said. “This is a wonderful opportunity to advance the University’s strategic vision and contribute in substantive ways to a workplace culture where talent and innovation thrive.”

At George Mason, she led a team of 50 human resources professionals, partnered effectively with the Faculty and Staff Senates, and was responsible for implementing a faculty retirement incentive program and an employee engagement survey. While leading the human resources team at the University of Tennessee, she developed the institution’s first human resources strategic plan and designed and implemented key initiatives related to compensation, retirement, hiring practices, retention and metrics. In her 17-year career there, she also worked in employee relations, learning and organizational development, and recruitment roles.

Before joining the University of Tennessee in 2006, Lucal worked in human resources at Harvard University. She has been a frequent presenter at national professional conferences on a variety of human resources topics. 

Lucal holds a doctorate in higher education administration from the University of Tennessee. She earned a master’s degree in human resource management from Lesley University and bachelor’s degrees in English education from Ohio State and English and women’s studies from the College of Wooster.

Lucal was appointed following a national search.