Kristen Waddell, Ph.D.
Kristen Waddell, Ph.D. is a Human Resources researcher, educator, and practitioner dedicated to advancing the employee experience through evidence-based strategies and innovation. She serves as an Assistant Professor of Human Resource Development at Stephen F. Austin State University, where she has spent the past three years teaching, conducting research, mentoring students, and guiding them through applied academic projects. Dr. Waddell is deeply committed to student success, driven by her passion for preparing future professionals to confidently enter the workforce. One of the highlights of her academic career includes mentoring two students whose independent research earned university recognition and the opportunity to present at a formal research conference—an achievement she values as a defining moment in her teaching journey.
Before transitioning into higher education, Dr. Waddell built nearly a decade of experience in corporate human resources and organizational development. Her work spanned performance management, leadership development, employee engagement, and training strategy, where she designed and implemented programs that enhanced both employee experience and organizational effectiveness. This professional background continues to inform her teaching and research, allowing her to bridge theory with real-world application. Her decision to move into academia was rooted in a desire to work more directly with students and play an active role in shaping the next generation of HR leaders.
In addition to her academic work, Dr. Waddell is an entrepreneur and co-founder of Upboard, an emerging HR technology platform designed to improve onboarding and early employee experiences. Developed alongside her husband, the platform was inspired by challenges she identified during her time in corporate HR. Currently in beta testing, Upboard is positioned to help organizations streamline onboarding processes while fostering stronger connections, engagement, and culture from day one. Through her combined efforts in research, teaching, and innovation, Dr. Waddell continues to contribute meaningfully to the evolution of human resources and the future of work.
• MBTI (Myers-Briggs Type Indicator) Certification
• ProSci Change Management Certification
• SHRM-CP (Society for Human Resource Management - Certified Professional)
• University of Texas at Tyler - PhD, Human Resources Development
• Stephen F. Austin State University - MBA, Human Resources
• Stephen F. Austin State University - BBA, Marketing and Legal Studies
• Academy of Human Resource Development
• SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management)
• Faculty Advisor for On-Campus Ministry Group
What do you attribute your success to?
I've been blessed and fortunate enough to be surrounded by people that are very supportive of my career and have come along with me in my journey. I've also tried to develop a mentality of just trying new things and not being afraid and not limiting myself. Early on in my career, I was very calculated and wouldn't have been willing to take risks like switching from corporate America to higher education, or now launching a new software business. But I think it's more about having the mentality of trying new things and figuring out what it is that you really enjoy doing, and then just pursuing that.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
When I was working on my doctorate, my advisor told me to pursue something that I want to know about and that is challenging to me, or maybe even something that bothers me, so I'll continue to seek out that answer. That's always stuck with me - if you find something that you can be truly passionate about, that's going to help you through the hard times and help you stay dedicated and focused on what you need to do. She would tell me all the time, find something that bothers you and find a solution, and that'll keep you motivated. That advice has guided me, including when we were launching our HR software company, which came out of identifying a problem I really wanted to fix from having worked in HR myself.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would say to figure out what you want and what your goal is, and just keep pursuing that. Really learn what strengths you bring to the table, and don't be afraid to leverage those strengths and speak your mind and be willing to make an impact. I work with a lot of very smart and intelligent women, and the ones that usually make the biggest impact are the ones that know what they're good at and aren't afraid to go 100% in whatever way that may be. It doesn't always mean being the loudest person in the room - it just means really having good self-awareness and being able to speak up and being willing to leverage their strengths whenever they're needed.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Right now, what everybody's talking about in higher education is what are we going to do with AI. That's obviously a challenge from a student perspective - balancing to make sure that they learn the concepts, but also that we're teaching them how to use these tools, again, ethically and responsibly. If you ask anybody in higher ed, that's going to be the biggest one: how do we still teach in this world of AI, and what's the balance that we come up with of teaching core concepts, but also teaching them how to use these tools that they're going to be expected to use in the workplace?
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Hard work is one of the most important values to me. I think being able to pursue whatever it is that you want to do requires a lot of hard work, grit, and determination. But I also think doing the right thing and doing it ethically is really, really important. Every work environment has politics and things like that, but making sure that you're staying true to your moral foundation and doing things in an ethical way is really important to me.