Mecklenburg County has announced leadership changes in its Human Resources and Park and Recreation departments. Joanette Freeman will become the director of Human Resources, starting January 22. Nick Walker, hired after a national search, will take over as director of Park and Recreation on February 3.
According to a Mecklenburg County press release, Freeman has nearly two years of experience with Mecklenburg County and previously served as the interim Total Rewards director for the past 10 months. Her background in human resources includes roles such as Human Resources director for Guilford County and executive director of Human Resources at Central Piedmont Community College.
In her new role, Freeman will oversee a range of responsibilities, including recruitment and HR technology. "Joanette and Nick are proven leaders who have vision, practice excellence, and remain focused on developing people and teams,” said County Manager Dena R. Diorio in the same press release. Freeman will play a key role in initiatives aimed at employee retention and engagement.
Nick Walker, relocating from Memphis, Tennessee, will lead Mecklenburg County’s park system, which includes over 290 parks and greenways across more than 22,500 acres. Walker previously led Memphis Parks in updating its strategic master plan and earned NRPA accreditation for the department. He holds a Master of Science in information quality from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, along with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. “We are confident they will be valuable assets to Mecklenburg County as we navigate the future growth of our organization and our community,” Diorio said in the release.
