Stickfort Named City Human Resources Director

DUBUQUE, Iowa – After a national search, Dubuque City Manager Mike Van Milligen has named Shelley Stickfort as the City’s new human resources director.  She replaces Randy Peck who will retire on Sept. 30 after leading the City’s human resources/personnel office for 40 years. 

“I was pleased to see the very competitive field of applicants for this important position within the City of Dubuque organization and I was especially pleased that the two different interview panels consisting of 13 city employees recommended Shelley as the top selection,” said Van Milligen.  “Shelley has the skills, abilities, professional background, and education to support the organization as our community continues to move forward.”

As human resources director, Stickfort will be responsible for implementing, planning, organizing, coordinating and managing all the activities of the human resources department.  This role also ensures staff receive adequate training to provide equitable and excellent municipal services. An important component of this position is to work as part of an internal team to create a more data-driven, high-performance organization focusing on outcomes and not outputs, including cross-departmental cooperation, employee engagement, and integration with performance measurement and evaluation, leading to an equitable community of choice.

Stickfort earned her juris doctorate from the Drake University Law School and her bachelor’s degree from Drake University.

Stickfort comes to Dubuque from the University of Iowa where she has served since 2012, most recently as director of employee and labor relations. Her responsibilities included performance management and organizational effectiveness, and resolution of employee issues.  Her prior roles at the University of Iowa were as senior human resources specialist for employee and labor relations and compliance officer for the office of equal opportunity and diversity. She has also worked part-time as an attorney since 2013, specializing in small business organization and labor and employment law.

Prior to her tenure with the University of Iowa, she was a senior law clerk with the Iowa Health System, interned with the Jones County Attorney’s Office, worked as a human resources business partner with the Finley Hospital/Iowa Health System, and was director of personnel and program services and program manager for the Arc of East Central Iowa.  

Stickfort’s first day with the City will be Friday, Oct. 4.  A public retirement reception will be held for Peck from 5-7 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 30, in the River Room of the Grand River Center, 500 Bell Street. 

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