Paula Henderson

Paula Henderson is the Chief People Officer for U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP). She is responsible for leading USP’s Global People & Culture team in creating and implementing strategies focused on attracting, developing and inspiring great talent. Collaborating with USP’s Equity Office, Paula helps foster a multi-generational culture of inclusion and belonging.

Before USP, Paula was Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer at the Virginia Commonwealth University Health System (VCUHS). While there, she transformed many Human Resources functions, including Team Member Experience, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Total Rewards, HR Business Advisory, Talent Acquisition and Onboarding, and Talent Management and Organizational Development.

Before VCUHS, Paula was the Chief Human Resources Officer for the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC). Through strategic HR leadership, she helped drive the organization’s mission to create a healthier Mississippi by educating healthcare professionals, conducting health sciences research and delivering innovative patient care. Paula also spent about 11 years at the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), including her last role as Vice President of Human Resources.

Well-known in healthcare HR circles, Paula has participated on panels with the Healthcare HR Management Institute and the annual Harvard Business School Healthcare Alumni Association. She has a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Human Resources Management from the University of Pittsburgh and a Bachelor of Arts in French and Business from West Virginia University.