With nearly 20 years of public-sector leadership experience that includes directing major HR and administrative functions in a complex, multi-entity state government environment, Tony Gherardini has set bold HR strategies, aligned diverse stakeholder groups, and delivered measurable results in talent management, workplace culture, and organizational effectiveness over the course of his career. As CU’s vice president and chief human resources officer, Tony provides strategic leadership for HR operations across the university system in partnership with campus HR leaders. His responsibilities include talent acquisition and retention, labor relations, compensation strategy, leadership development, employee engagement, and organizational effectiveness.

Before joining CU, Tony served as executive director of the Colorado Department of Personnel & Administration, where he led a 500-person agency with a $450 million budget and administered the statewide personnel system supporting more than 30,000 employees. In that role, he oversaw human resources strategy, classification, and compensation, labor relations, workforce planning, benefits, payroll, and employee development across the Colorado state government.

Tony’s prior roles include director of the Colorado Department of Personnel Administration, where he led the implementation of a skills-based hiring system that increased skills-based hires across the state government, modernized recruitment practices, and expanded access to qualified candidates; chief operations officer for the Colorado Office of Behavioral Health, where he oversaw administrative, financial, and operational functions; and director of state operations and cabinet affairs in the Governor’s Office, where he oversaw Colorado’s executive branch performance management system. Before working for the state, Tony was an agent with the Lakewood Police Department, serving the city of Lakewood for seven years, two of those as a detective investigating crimes committed against children.

Gherardini served in the Colorado Army National Guard from 2004 until 2017 and is a veteran of the war in Afghanistan. He holds a Master of Public Administration from CU Denver and a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Colorado State University.