County Names New Directors of Human Resources, Park and Recreation

County Manager Dena R. Diorio has announced the promotion of Joanette Freeman to the position of director of Human Resources, effective Jan. 22, and the hiring of Nick Walker to the position of director of Park and Recreation, effective Feb. 3.  

“Joanette and Nick are proven leaders who have vision, practice excellence, and remain focused on developing people and teams,” Diorio said. “We are confident they will be valuable assets to Mecklenburg County as we navigate the future growth of our organization and our community.” 

Joanette Freeman, Director of 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. She will play a key role in driving the County’s strategic initiatives related to employee retention and engagement.

Prior to working with the 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 is currently a member of CPS HR Consulting, is a board member of the Catapult Employers Association and has served as a board member of the North Carolina Chapter of the Public Sector Human Resources Association. She holds a bachelor’s degree from North Carolina Agriculture and Technical State University, and a Master of Science in Organizational Leadership from Pfeiffer University. Freeman is a certified HR Professional, holds a certification from the University of North Carolina School of Government–County Administration and currently is pursuing her Executive Leadership certification from Cornell University. Her professional affiliations include the Society for Human Resource Management, the Charlotte Area Society for Human Resources Management, World at Work, and the Public Sector Human Resources Association.  

Nick Walker, Director of Park and Recreation

Following a nationwide search, Nick Walker joins Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation 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.  

Walker has served the City of Memphis since February 2017. His previous roles include deputy director of Memphis Parks, and performance data manager. He holds a Master of Science in information quality, and an associate’s degree in science, both from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, and a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Henderson State University. He is an NRPA Certified Park and Recreation Executive and a graduate of NRPA’s exclusive two-year Directors School that develops effective park and recreation leaders.