Tony Gherardini has been appointed as the new vice president and chief human resources officer for the University of Colorado (CU) system. He will start his position on April 13, 2026.
Gherardini previously served as executive director of the Colorado Department of Personnel & Administration. In that role, he managed a team of 500 employees and oversaw a $450 million budget. He was responsible for statewide personnel management supporting more than 30,000 employees, which included developing HR strategy, overseeing classification and compensation, labor relations, workforce planning, benefits administration, payroll services, and employee development.
“We are thrilled Tony is joining our team,” said CU President Todd Saliman. “He has a long track record as a public servant, deep expertise and has demonstrated that he is a thoughtful leader. And the added bonus, that he is a CU Denver alumnus, make him the perfect fit for our team in the CU system office. Tony is taking on a critical role and I have no doubt that his skill set makes him perfect for the university.”
While leading the Colorado Department of Personnel & Administration, Gherardini implemented a skills-based hiring approach. This initiative increased hires based on skills across state government roles and modernized recruitment processes to reach more qualified candidates.
Gherardini’s previous experience includes serving as chief operations officer at the Colorado Office of Behavioral Health and director of state operations and cabinet affairs in the Governor’s Office. In these positions, he managed administrative functions and oversaw performance management systems for Colorado’s executive branch.
Earlier in his career, Gherardini worked as an agent with the Lakewood Police Department for seven years—two years as a detective focused on crimes against children. He also served in the Colorado Army National Guard from 2004 to 2017 and is an Afghanistan war veteran.
“Tony has spent his career serving others, from his time in the military to his service in state government,” said Gov. Jared Polis. “His leadership at the Department of Personnel & Administration will be very missed, but we wish him all the best in this next chapter. During his time at DPA, Colorado has made important progress on skills-based hiring, strengthening our state workforce, expanding our electric vehicle fleet and more.”
Gherardini holds a master’s degree in public administration from CU Denver and returns to CU after over two decades working in public service.
“After more than 20 years in public service, returning to CU as an alumnus in this role is truly a dream come true,” Gherardini said. “The university helped shape my journey, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to give back. I look forward to ensuring our HR operations are strong, responsive and seamless in support of our faculty and staff.”
In his new role at CU systemwide human resources office, Gherardini will lead talent acquisition efforts; manage retention strategies; oversee labor relations; develop compensation strategies; focus on leadership development; promote employee engagement; and work toward organizational effectiveness.
