Stephanie B. Smith was named DePaul’s vice president for Human Resources in 2012. Smith is responsible for the recruitment, development, planning and retention of a diverse workforce to accomplish the university’s strategic objectives and mission. Her specific accountabilities include performance and talent management, total rewards programs, leadership and workforce development, and work-life strategies.

She was a senior business executive for Kraft Foods ​for more than 20 years. As senior vice president and chief human resources officer for Kraft Foods North America, the company’s largest region with $24 billion in net revenues, Smith was a key member of Kraft’s global leadership team. She was the recipient of the President’s Award in 2000, Kraft’s highest award of distinction.

Prior to her career at Kraft, Smith held a variety of human resources positions in the headquarters and the field operations for two major retailers: Montgomery Ward & Co. and Carson Pirie Scott.

She has long been active in the community, serving as a board trustee for Steppenwolf Theatre and on the board of directors for the Human Resource Management Association of Chicago (HRMAC). Smith is also an active member of The Executive Leadership Council (ELC), a nonprofit organization of African-American executives whose mission is to develop leaders of color and build an inclusive leadership pipeline in companies and institutions.

Smith holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and a Master of Science in Integrated Marketing from Northwestern University, and a Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) with a concentration in human capital management and organization effectiveness from DePaul University.