/ Chris Sadler

Chris Sadler, PhD.

Transformational HR Director Maximizing Human Capital

— Education & Certifications

Education

PhD Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis; University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI

M.S. Educational Administration; University of Wisconsin-Superior, Superior, WI

M.S. Early Childhood Education; Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA

B.S. Child and Family Studies; University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI

Certifications

Human Resources Certification, University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension

Society for Human Resource Management Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) Certification — Passed Certification Exam(Preliminary), May 6th, 2026

Director of Human Resources-Sun Prairie Area School District-2018-present

Principal, CH Bird Elementary School, Sun Prairie Area School District-2015-2018

Principal, Marshall Early Learning Center, Marshall School District-2010-2015

Principal/Teacher, Humke Elementary School-2005-2010

— Experience

Directed Human Resources strategies for a school district employing over 1,400 exempt and multi-shift non-exempt employees, enhancing employee engagement strategies that boosted satisfaction and belonging. Achieved 90% or higher annual retention rates, with 92% of employees affirming the district's positive workplace culture.

  • Collaborated on creating stay/retention bonuses for all employee types using strategic budget funds to enhance employee retention without increasing overall spending.

  • Facilitated action-based employee engagement groups with leaders in four different employee exempt and non-exempt groups, leading to 86.3% of employees agreeing to the statement of “I feel that my opinion is valued and taken into consideration in the workplace.”

  • Led the transition of Human Resource processes to an integrated Human Resource Information System, creating more consistent and employee-friendly processes, such as onboarding paperwork, benefit open enrollment, medical leaves, ADA work accommodations, workers' compensation, employee evaluation, and compensation adjustments.

  • Facilitated the process of moving from traditional timecards to an electronic timecard process (True Time) with a focus on creating a system that was more in line with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)

  • Conducted wage studies, ensuring competitive compensation leading to high retention of employees and successful recruiting through effective budget management, most recently in the spring of 2026, focused on our hourly staff, especially in the areas of facilities and grounds and nutrition services, leading to increases in wages for those roles.

  • Facilitated staffing for a second comprehensive high school, facilitating transfers and recruitment, ensuring staff felt supported through the many changes involved, and maintaining efficiency to remain within budgetary limits.

  • Collaborated with the local Sun Prairie city government to provide an Employee Wellness Clinic to district and city employees, lowering costs for employees to access healthcare and also lowering our overall impact on Medical Loss Ratio, allowing for savings in premiums for employees and the district of over $500,000.

  • Facilitated adjustment of Paid Time Off language to create more flexible use of PTO aimed at supporting flexibility for both employees and supervisors while also increasing efficiency of administering PTO processes.

  • Developed a short-term and long-term onboarding process for hourly employees in building and grounds roles to ensure higher retention and a sense of belonging, leading to over 92% of new employees being retained past their first year of employment.

  • Created policy and process related to staffing models in collaboration with school leaders, district leaders, and the school board, focused on the identified needs of students, staff, and facilities while ensuring staffing costs were within budgetary limits.

— Actions as a Human Resources Leader