Tracy Gruber was named executive director of the Utah Department of Health and Human Services in January 2021 and unanimously confirmed by the Senate in February 2021. Previous to her appointment by Governor Spencer J. Cox, she was director of the Office of Child Care at the Utah Department of Workforce Services (DWS) and senior advisor for the Intergenerational Poverty Initiative.

Gruber is passionate about working with community stakeholders, providers and staff to better serve Utah individuals and families with quality and efficiency. Her work includes championing programs and policies within the Department to achieve measurable, preventative, positive outcomes that end cycles of intergenerational reliance on government services.

Prior to her service with DWS, Gruber was the senior policy analyst and director of state fiscal policy at Voices for Utah Children. Gruber’s work experience also includes serving as an analyst in the Illinois Senate, overseeing a public employee retiree organization, and administering the Utah State Bar New Lawyer Training Program. In 2017, she was named as “Government Official of the Year” by Community Action Partnership of Utah. She served as the chair of the National Association of State Child Care Administrators and represents Utah on the Education Commission of the States.

Gruber received her undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and her Law Degree from the Chicago-Kent School of Law. She and her husband Andrew are the proud parents of Max and Jack, who is attending the University of Utah.