President/CEO / Age 37
Envision Greater Fond du Lac
Sadie Vander Velde came to Envision Greater Fond du Lac just a month after the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown, immediately spearheading the Re-Open Fond du Lac County Task Force to help businesses safely continue operation. After earning a master’s of public administration from UW Oshkosh, she aimed for a president/CEO role and is proud to have found that at Envision Greater Fond du Lac.
Her career started with a college internship for Congressman Tom Petri.
“I was in no way politically- or government-minded; I wanted to be a lawyer,” she says. “My aunt told me that if I was going to be a lawyer, I should know how laws are made. It opened this new world of possibilities and careers. I then spent 10-plus years in that sector, which I loved and respected.”
Vander Velde serves in organizations such as Noon Rotary, Noon Kiwanis and Destination Lake Winnebago Region. She also supports women’s professional development. “As a woman leader it’s hard to look around tables and not see more women in leadership or executive roles,” she says.
In the next decade, Vander Velde wants “to raise my three children with my husband and make sure they have incredible life experiences,” she says. “Professionally, I want to grow the impact and revenue of Envision Greater Fond du Lac, specifically by leading some changes in child care and attracting talent to our county.”
