Perkins grad earns job at Wake Forest

PERKINS TWP. — A Perkins High School graduate reached a new pinnacle in her academic career. Mary Lucal, a nationally known leader in higher education, recently became the vice president and chief human resources officer at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. She assumes her new role on Aug. 12. Those working in Wake Forest's administration, who conducted a nationwide search for this position, praised her. "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," said Jacqueline Travisano, the university's executive vice president and chief financial officer. For more than two decades, Lucal has served in various human resources and other roles in higher education. This would include time spent at George Mason University in Virginia, the University of Tennessee and Harvard University. At Wake Forest, she'll oversee recruitment, compensation, employee relations, benefits, learning and organizational development and more. "I enjoy mentoring early career human resources professionals and others who need extra time to identify their career path," Lucal said. "It took me many years to find the career that was meaningful to me, and I was fortunate to have a very supportive family, as well as other mentors of my own, who helped me get to this moment." It's considered a dream job for Lucal, who graduated from Perkins High School in 1988. "My summer job in high school was working as a housekeeper and then front desk clerk at the Ramada Inn," Lucal said of her experience growing up in the Sandusky area. "This gave me the first taste of how important it is for people to enjoy their workplace and to feel that they have a voice there." Lucal herself greatly values education. She earned a: • Doctorate in higher education administration from the University of Tennessee • Master's degree in human resource management from Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts • Bachelor's degrees in English education from Ohio State University as well as English and women's studies from the College of Wooster She views her next stage in life, at Wake Forest, as an exciting time. "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."