Selected from a national search by a staff and faculty-led committee, Lorraine Goffe will begin as Northwestern’s new vice president for human resources and chief human resource officer on Feb. 1. 

She will succeed Priya Harjani, who led Human Resources in the interim after former Vice President Manuel Cuevas-Trisán left the position for a similar job at Harvard University last June. 

In the announcement of Goffe’s appointment, Executive Vice President Craig Johnson cited her extensive expertise and experience for the role. Goffe previously served as vice president and chief human resources officer at The Pennsylvania State University.

“(Goffe) has dedicated her career to improving HR operations and career outcomes for faculty and staff, and we look forward to welcoming her to our Northwestern community,” Johnson said in a news release. 

Goffe created Penn State’s first senior-level Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging leader in Human Resources. She also spearheaded pandemic-related remote and return-to-work policies, including enforcing employee training, wellness services and testing information.

Goffe said she is excited to collaborate with other NU human resources staff members.

In her new role, she will oversee hiring, compensation and benefits for faculty and staff along with wellness and talent development programs. She will also be responsible for advancing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives.

“At a university, our people are our most valuable resource,” Goffe said in the release. “Providing them with the tools to develop their professional skills and maintain a healthy work/life balance is one of the most important roles of human resources.”

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