I’m Sara McConnell, a people-first HR leader with more than 20 years of experience building and scaling People & Culture functions from the ground up. I’ve spent my career turning ambiguity into clarity, helping organizations, from growing startups to global creative studios, transform chaos into culture and people strategy into business success.

After graduating from Texas A&M with a degree in Political Science, I found my calling in HR by managing every aspect of operations at a high-volume salon. From there, my career took off, eventually leading me into senior HR leadership roles across the tech, creative, and entertainment industries, including time at Netflix Animation and building HR departments at companies like ProjectManager.com and Powerhouse Animation. Whether it was expanding global teams, rewriting core values, or spearheading initiatives that helped studios reach 50/50 gender equity years ahead of schedule, I’ve always led with a deep belief in the power of people.

Now based in Colorado with my husband, son, and our three rescue dogs, I’m proud to have co-founded GTHR Group to bring fractional HR support to companies who are ready to grow with intention. At GTHR, we specialize in helping teams lay a strong HR foundation, from recruitment and culture-building to compliance and organizational development. We know that when your people thrive, your business follows.

Outside of consulting, I regularly speak on panels and have delivered guest lectures at universities where my presentations aim to provide clarity around building equitable, inclusive teams, and to shine a spotlight on different creative career paths. Some of my favorite moments have been engaging with students at Carnegie Mellon, CalArts, and my alma mater, Texas A&M.

My goal is to demystify HR, to advocate for fair and equitable workplaces, and to underscore the fundamental principle that individuals at a company are its greatest asset, because a “people first” approach is vital for success.

Co-Founder & Principal HR Consultant

Sara McConnell

Hello, friends! I’m Barrett, a dynamic and strategic Marketing leader with over 20 years of experience in delivering 360° Integrated Marketing Campaigns, Brand Strategy, Experiential Activations, Event Production, and Brand Partnerships & Sponsorships. With an extensive background in B2C and B2B marketing, I’ve lead strategy and campaign direction in partnership with world class organizations such as the San Antonio Spurs, Houston Texans, Dallas Cowboys, Houston Astros, Austin FC, University of Texas Athletics, OpTic Gaming, and beloved brands like Kendra Scott, Shiner Beer, 7-Eleven, Girl Scouts of America, Chipotle, Torchy’s Tacos, Shake Shack, & Whataburger.

With a proven ability to lead cross-functional teams that deliver measurable results, enhance brand visibility, and drive customer growth - I’m looking forward to GTHR Group being your go-to resource for all things Marketing & Brand!

Music has always my first love and I'm a huge fan of live shows. Fun fact: I actually moved to Austin to play music and spent time as a touring musician. My passion for live events led me to form a booking and promotions collective where we threw weekly DJ nights, put on concerts across Austin, and planned official parties and events for SXSW, Austin City Limits Festival, and Austin Fashion Week. Even when I'm immersed in the professional world of brand marketing, you'll find me at my desk sandwiched between the shelves of my vinyl record collection (over 1,500 albums and counting!).

My life is wonderfully full outside of work being a loving husband, a dad to a wacky and creative third-grader, and three absolutely ridiculous dogs in Colorado. This school year found me volunteering as the coach for the 2nd & 3rd grade First Lego League team. It should be no surprise that our team won the “Best Poster” award as I was able to help the kiddos organize their thoughts and evangelize the story of their team journey and creations this year!