Laura Briefer

Director of Public Utilities
Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities
Salt Lake City, UT

Laura Briefer is the Director of Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities (SLCDPU). She has served as Director of SLCDPU since 2016. Ms. Briefer has worked at SLCDPU for 17 years in various areas of the organization and has devoted a 30-year career to natural resource, environmental, and public policy professions in the public, private, and non-profit sectors. She holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies from the University of California at Santa Barbara, and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Utah. Ms. Briefer additionally serves as an Adjunct Instructor in the Division of Public Affairs at the University of Utah. Ms. Briefer was recognized with the Distinguished Service Award for an Appointed Official by the UT Chapter of the American Society for Public Administration in 2024.

Ms. Briefer is a co-author of several peer-reviewed published papers alongside UT’s academic institutions, focused on water resources, climate change, and watershed management. She serves on local and national boards, including the Jordan River and Utah Watershed Councils, the Utah Water Task Force, the Provo River Water Users Association, the National Association of Clean Water Agencies, and the national Water Research Foundation.