Brad L. Mortensen

Biography

Brad L. Mortensen is the 18th president of Utah State University, a Carnegie R1 land-grant institution, a role he has held since November 2025.

He is a nationally recognized higher education leader with more than two decades of experience across university leadership, public policy, and economic development, including nearly seven years as president of Weber State University and prior service with the Utah System of Higher Education and the Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget.

He is deeply committed to student access, success, and affordability. Guided by the question “Are we the problem?”

President Mortensen leads Utah State with a focus on expanding statewide educational and economic access, ensuring student success through high return on investment, driving world-changing discovery across critical industries, and instilling core values of integrity and civic mindedness.

President Mortensen holds a Ph.D. in educational leadership and policy from the University of Utah, a master’s degree in public administration from the Syracuse University Maxwell School, and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Utah State University.