Lori E. Varlotta is an American academic administrator serving as the eighth president of California Lutheran University, a private liberal arts and sciences university based in Thousand Oaks, California. She began her tenure on September 1, 2020.

Varlotta was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. A first-generation college student, she earned a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy from the University of Notre Dame, a Master of Science in cultural foundations of education from Syracuse University, and PhD in educational leadership and feminist philosophy from Miami University.^[1][2]

Varlotta previously served for six years as the 22nd president of Hiram College.^[3][4][5][6] Before coming to Hiram, Varlotta spent 11 years at California State University, Sacramento, ultimately serving as senior vice president of planning, enrollment management and student affairs. She also held senior leadership roles at the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater and the University of San Francisco.

Varlotta took office as president of California Lutheran University, a private Hispanic-Serving Institution, in September 2020, becoming the first female president in Cal Lutheran’s 61-year history.^[7]

On January 16, 2024, California Lutheran University faculty passed a Resolution of No Confidence in President Varlotta by a vote of 122-3.^[8] The resolution cited the faculty's concern in Lori Varlotta's budget stewardship, ability to preserve the financial health of the institution, maintain existing alumni relationships and expand the donor base at California Lutheran University, and also acknowledged President Varlotta's reputational harm to the university by failing to maintain and cultivate community and business relationships or succesffully navigate conflict resolution. The faculty cited a need for a visionary, authentic, transparent, and empowering new leader. The resolution calls for the resignation of President Varlotta or for the Board of Regents to remove President Varlotta.