Jean B. Tyler Leader of the Future Award – 2019 Co-Winner

Kayla Chadwick
Administrator/Clerk, Village of Butler

When Kayla Chadwick was hired to become the Village of Butler’s administrator and clerk in 2014, she became the first female administrator in the village’s 101-year history and the youngest administrator in the state of Wisconsin (at the time) at age 26. She began her tenure during a period of turmoil, as multiple instances of unethical or illegal behavior had recently been found in the village’s police department. Kayla led the village through an organizational rebuilding process that included development of new staff accountability policies and an emphasis on transparency. Her financial leadership also helped end years of annual budget deficits and she spearheaded development of a 20-year capital plan. Village President Patricia Tiarks says Kayla “has transformed our organization into a transparent, ethical, highly functioning and innovative one that we are proud to represent.”