CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — Mecklenburg County has new leaders for its Park and Recreation and the Human Resources departments.
County Manager Dena Diorio announced Tuesday the promotion of Joanette Freeman to director of HR, effective Jan. 22. And starting Feb. 3, Nick Walker beings as the new director of the Park and Rec.
“Joanette and Nick are proven leaders who have vision, practice excellence, and remain focused on developing people and teams,” Diorio said in a statement. “We are confident they will be valuable assets to Mecklenburg County as we navigate the future growth of our organization and our community.”
Nick Walker, Park and Recreation
Following a nationwide search, Nick Walker joins Mecklenburg County from Memphis, Tennessee, where he has served as parks director for the City of Memphis since 2019. As director, he led Memphis Parks through the development of its first master plan since 1999 and oversaw the department’s first accreditation by the National Recreation and Park Association’s (NRPA) Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies.
As the head of Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation, Walker will oversee more than 290 parks, nature preserves, greenways and facilities located on more than 22,500 acres; a staff of approximately 450 full-time employees and over 1,000 part-time and seasonal employees; and a more than $71 million budget.
He takes over for former director W. Lee Jones, who retired last summer. He served the department since 2004, overseeing project s like First Ward Park, Romare Bearden Park and the reopening of American Legion Memorial Stadium. The county also launched an aggressive campaign for greenways during his tenure.
Joanette Freeman, Human Resources
Freeman, who has been with the county for nearly two years, has served as interim Total Rewards director for 10 months, while also performing her current role of deputy director of Human Resources. She started with the county in 2023 in this role.
In her new role, Freeman will oversee all aspects of human resources including recruitment, learning and organizational effectiveness, employee relations and business partnerships, total rewards, the HR business office, and HR systems and technology.
Prior to Mecklenburg County, Freeman was Human Resources director for Guilford County and has served in a number of progressive roles, including executive director of Human Resources for Central Piedmont Community College. She holds a bachelor’s degree from N.C. A&T State University, and a Master of Science in Organizational Leadership from Pfeiffer University.
