2026 NORTH CAROLINA ASSOCIATION OF COMMUNITY COLLEGE HUMAN RESOURCES PROFESSIONALS

CONFERENCE SCHEDULE AND SPEAKERS

Before You Arrive at the NCACCHRP Conference

Additional conference resources will be available soon to help you prepare for your time in Kannapolis.

The Program of Events will be updated and available for attendees to review in advance. Once finalized, we encourage you to download the program and become familiar with the conference schedule, session offerings, and other important event information. A QR code will also be provided for convenient access.

We will also be adding and updating presenter biographies so you can learn more about the professionals who will be leading conference sessions. Their backgrounds, experience, and expertise will provide helpful context as you plan which sessions to attend.

Please check back soon for these updates and additional conference information.

Registration Location

Monday, October 5 Only (1-5 pm)

ATC – Dr. Carol S. Spalding Building
399 Biotechnology Lane
Kannapolis, NC 28081

Conference/Registration Location

October 6–8 (8-4 pm)

401 Laureate Way
Kannapolis, NC 28081

Sessions, Descriptions, and Activities:

Tuesday, October 6

Location: The Laureate Center

8:00 AM — Breakfast

General Sessions

9:00 AM - Welcome

CCHRA Board Members
President Dr. Carol S. Spalding of Rowan-Cabarrus Community College

9:30 AM - System Office Legal Updates

Presenters: Jonnell Carpenter and Delany Davis
Session Description: The legal landscape for community college human resources continues to evolve. This session will provide an overview of recently enacted and pending legislation, as well as State Board Code updates affecting human resources across North Carolina's community colleges. Topics will include changes related to DEI, paid parental leave, and other emerging legal and regulatory developments. Participants will leave with a clear understanding of these developments and practical strategies for addressing them on their campuses.

10:00 AM - 12:50 PM - 20-minute massage session (registration required)
10:20 AM - Break
10:30 AM - Taking Care of Yourself & Employees: Practical Ways HR Leaders Can reduce Stress & Reduce Compassion Fatigue

Presenter: Casey Bowden, LCMHC
Session Description: HR is a field focused on helping – helping employees, helping organizations. In stressful times, that can be an exhausting task! This session will focus on how HR leaders can take care of themselves and their employees by identifying stressors, learning stress management tools, and using self-care to reduce the compassion fatigue that comes with helping others.

12:00 PM — Lunch (The Laureate Center)

Afternoon Session Location: Rowan-Cabarrus Community College

1:15 PM — Concurrent Sessions

The Human Side of Work- The Power of supporting Employee Mental Health

Presenter: Ann Everett
Session Description: This session highlights the importance of supporting employee wellness at work and practical implementation of strategies based on the five categories of employee needs defined by the Surgeon General’s Framework.

The Retention & Disposition Schedule for Colleges in the Community College System
- Presenter: Kayla Leonard
- Session Description: Starting off with a brief overview of the current Retention and Disposition Schedule for Colleges in the Community College System, the majority of this session will be spent in small groups discussing the retention schedule in more detail. We want to hear from you about what works, what doesn't, and what you would like to see changed.

2:15 PM — Break

2:30 PM — General Session

Managing Stress & Burnout in the Workplace

Presenters: Dr. Bob Shackleford
Session Description: The majority of U.S. employees report experiencing significant work-related stress in the past month. What are some of the causes and effects related to that stress? This presentation discusses some useful techniques to manage stress constructively and helpful steps to combat burnout in the workplace.

5:00 PM — Social & Networking Night Event

Location: Atrium Health Ballpark — Home of the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers

HR Heroes Night: Hitting It Out of the Park!

Get ready to unwind, connect, and have some fun with your fellow conference attendees at one of Kannapolis’ signature venues!

This year’s social and networking event is all about celebrating the everyday heroes of Human Resources. Join us at Atrium Health Ballpark for an evening filled with networking, laughter, games, refreshments, and plenty of superhero spirit.

Theme: Superheroes
Dress the Part: Wear your favorite superhero costume, shirt, or accessories and show off your heroic side!
Enjoy: Light snacks, refreshments, games, and fun activities
Connect: Network with HR and HR-adjacent professionals from across North Carolina in a relaxed and lively setting
Celebrate: Take time to enjoy the evening, build new connections, and celebrate the important work HR professionals do every day

Bring your cape, your creativity, and your best superhero energy—because HR Heroes know how to hit it out of the park!

Wednesday, October 7, 2026

Location: The Laureate Center

8:00 AM — Breakfast

9:00 AM — Concurrent Sessions

From HR Decision to the Courtroom: The Lifecycle of an Employment Claim

Presenters: Gerard Clodomir and Andreas Mosby
Session Description: From HR Decision to Courtroom: The Lifecycle of an Employment Claim uses a realistic workplace hypothetical to follow an employment dispute from the underlying personnel decision through an EEOC charge, litigation, mediation, trial, and appeal. The session will provide practical insight into how employment claims develop, the stages of the legal process, and the role HR professionals play at each step.

The Quiet Crisis: Rebuilding Connection In a Lonely Organization

Presenter: Kelly Carpenter, LCSW
Session Description: Loneliness has become one of the most significant public health challenges of our time, with the U.S. Surgeon General identifying it as a serious health concern. Yet many people experience loneliness in places they spend the majority of their day: at work and at school.
As leaders, managers, supervisors, and HR professionals, you have a powerful opportunity to shape environments where people feel seen, valued, and connected. The culture you create can either unintentionally contribute to isolation or become a catalyst for meaningful relationships and belonging.
In this interactive session, you'll learn how to recognize the signs of loneliness, understand its impact on well-being, engagement, and performance, and explore practical strategies to foster connection within your organization. You'll leave with actionable tools you can implement immediately to build a healthier, more supportive, and more connected workplace or campus culture.
Join us to discover how small changes in leadership can make a lasting difference in helping people feel they truly belong.

10:00 AM - 12:50 PM - 20-minute massage session (registration required)

10:15 AM — Break

10:30 AM — Concurrent Sessions

General HR Round Table Discussion

Facilitator: Amanda Bryant

Coaching for Growth: Reimagining Performance Conversations Through IDPs

Presenters: Dr. Shantell Strickland-Davis & Reid Beaver
Session Description: Many organizations continue to rely on performance management systems that emphasize evaluation, ratings, and retrospective feedback. While accountability remains important, employees increasingly expect meaningful conversations about growth, career aspirations, and professional development. At Central Piedmont Community College, we transformed our approach by shifting the focus from traditional performance reviews to a development-centered process built around Individual Development Plans (IDPs), coaching conversations, and shared ownership of growth.This session will explore how our organization redesigned performance management to foster continuous learning, strengthen supervisor-employee relationships, and empower employees to take an active role in their professional development. We will share the rationale behind the change, the structure of the IDP process, implementation strategies, lessons learned, and evidence of impact on employee engagement and growth.Participants will leave with practical tools and strategies for creating a coaching culture, embedding development conversations into existing performance processes, and positioning supervisors as coaches rather than evaluators.

12:00 PM — Lunch

1:15 PM — Concurrent Sessions

Hiring Round Table Discussion

Facilitator: Marcella Thompson

The Coaching Advantage

Presenter: Toyinda Smith
Session Description: In today's evolving workplace, leaders must do more than manage, they must develop. The Coaching Advantage equips people leaders with the mindset and skills to lead through coaching rather than command. This highly interactive session introduces practical coaching techniques that enhance team performance, strengthen engagement, and foster a culture of accountability. Through real-world human resources scenarios, hands-on activities, and reflective dialogue, participants will learn how to shift from solving problems for others to empowering their teams to think, grow, and lead.

2:15 PM — Break

2:30 PM — Concurrent Sessions

Leading Through Workforce Change: What HR Must Do Before, During, and After a Reduction

Presenter: LeTonya D. Shaw
Session Description: Workforce reductions are one of the hardest things HR is ever asked to lead, and most HR professionals get handed the responsibility with no real playbook. This working session breaks the work into three phases: before a reduction is announced, notification day, and the 90 days after, with a concrete tool for each: a Pre-Reduction Readiness Checklist, a Notification Day Playbook, and a 90-Day Stabilization Plan. Drawing on 25+ years leading HR through workforce transitions at Fortune 500 organizations, along with the personal experience of being laid off four times, LeTonya D. Shaw shares what actually holds up under pressure, what quietly falls apart when reductions aren't planned well, and what HR can do to protect institutional trust throughout the process. Attendees leave with practical frameworks they can adapt for their own institutions right away, not just theory.

From Cubicle to Community-The True Reach of Employee Burnout
- Presenter: Dr. Timogi Jackson
- Session Description: Burnout doesn't clock out because it happens to people, not employees. More than half of U.S. workers now report burnout, and research links it to roughly $322 billion in lost productivity each year and a serious toll on physical health. Studies show a burned-out employee carries that strain from the workplace to the community at large. This session gives professionals practical, people-first tools to recognize, reduce, and redirect burnout, build cultures that keep people whole, and lead well-being as a shared community responsibility.

Thursday, October 8, 2026

Location: The Laureate Center

8:00 AM — Breakfast

General Sessions

9:00 AM —Annual Business Meeting & Awards
9:30 AM - ERP Updates & Discussion

Presenter: Scott Ottman and Dr. Rachel Desmarais

10:30 AM - Break
10:45 AM - AI at Work: A Practical Guide for Community College HR Professionals

Presenter: Dr. Lane Freeman
Session Description: Artificial intelligence has moved from novelty to daily reality in community college workplaces, and HR offices are feeling it from every direction: applicants using AI to write cover letters, employees using it to draft documents, and leadership asking what the institutional policy should be. This session gives HR professionals a working understanding of what these tools actually do, where they add real value in HR operations, and where they create genuine risk. We will cover practical applications across the HR function, including job description drafting, screening workflow support, onboarding and training material development, policy language review, and internal communications. We will also work through the harder questions: bias and adverse impact in AI-assisted screening, confidentiality and what should never be entered into a public tool, records and documentation implications, and what a defensible institutional AI use policy looks like. Attendees will see live demonstrations using real HR scenarios and will leave with a starter framework they can adapt for their own campus

12:00 PM - Conference Closing & Box Lunch

Thank you for joining us for the 2026 NCACCHRP Annual Conference! Please pick up a box lunch before you depart. We wish you a safe trip home and look forward to seeing you next year!

Presenter and Bios:

Scott Ottman, Chair of the Transformation Committee, State Board of the North Carolina Community College System	Scott Ottman serves as Chair of the Transformation Committee on the State Board of the North Carolina Community College System. He brings more than 40 years of executive leadership experience from IBM and Lenovo, where he retired as Vice President of Worldwide Operations and Transformation. His expertise includes enterprise transformation, technology modernization, operational redesign, data-driven decision-making, process optimization, and organizational change. He is known for collaborative leadership, strategic alignment, and building high-performing teams.
Dr. Rachel Desmaraias, President of Vance Granville Community College, HR Associations’ President Liaison for the 58 and a member of the Presidents Association’s Technology Committee	Rachel Desmarais is the seventh president of Vance-Granville Community College, serving four counties in north central North Carolina. With more than 25 years of higher education experience, she has also worked in manufacturing and information technology. She holds a Ph.D. in Instructional Design and Technology from Old Dominion University and is an Aspen Institute Community College Excellence Presidential Fellow. A people-centered leader, Rachel is passionate about helping students succeed and strengthen their families and communities.
Jonnell Carpenter, General Counsel for North Carolina Community College System Office	Jonnell Carpenter is General Counsel for the North Carolina Community College System where she serves as chief legal advisor to the State Board of Community Colleges, the System Office President, and staff. She also provides legal guidance and support to North Carolina's 58 community colleges. Her practice focuses on governance, contracts, employment law, policy development, compliance, and other legal issues affecting public higher education institutions. A native of Zebulon, North Carolina, Jonnell is licensed to practice law in both North Carolina and Hawaii. She earned a Bachelor of Arts from Pfeiffer University and a Juris Doctor from Campbell University Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law.
Delany Davis, Assistant General Counsel for the North Carolina Community College System Office	Delany Davis currently serves as Assistant Legal Counsel for the North Carolina Community College System. As a key contributor to the Legal Affairs team, her responsibilities include providing strategic guidance on complex matters such as public records requests, rule-making, employment law, and statute interpretation; working with the General Counsel to deliver legal advice to key stakeholders, including Community College Presidents, Board Members, and System Office employees; and reviewing, identifying, and mitigating legal risks in a wide range of contracts, contributing significantly to the legal framework governing the System Office and the 58 community colleges.
Kayla Leonard, Essential Records Management Analyst, State Archives of North Carolina	Kayla Leonard is the Essential Records Analyst at the State Archives of North Carolina and currently serves as the State Archives liaison to the Community College System. Prior to joining the State Archives in 2022, Kayla worked for a variety of museums and archives in North Carolina, Washington, D.C., and London, England. Kayla received her B.A. in History and English from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and her M.A. in Museum Studies from George Washington University.
Gerard Clodomir, of Counsel, Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP	Gerard Clodomir is an experienced employment litigator with Womble Bond Dickinson. He represents employers in matters arising under state and federal employment laws and has successfully defended clients in state and federal courts and before administrative agencies, including the EEOC and DOL.
Andreas Mosby, of Counsel, Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP	Andreas Mosby is an employment litigator with Womble Bond Dickinson. He advises and represents employers in discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination, labor relations, affirmative action, and workplace compliance matters. He also assists employers with day-to-day workplace issues, employee handbooks, and employment policies.
Dr. Lane Freeman, State Director of Online Learning for the North Carolina Community College System	Dr. Lane Freeman serves as State Director of Online Learning for the North Carolina Community College System, supporting teaching and learning across 58 colleges. With nearly 25 years in K-12 and higher education, he is a nationally recognized voice on artificial intelligence in education and has keynoted and trained educators in multiple states. He holds an Ed.D. from East Carolina University and has published in OLC Insights, the NC Community College Journal of Teaching Innovation, and NISOD Papers.
Ann Everett, Professional Development Manager, Forsyth Technical Community College	Joining Forsyth Technical Community College in 2016, Ann Everett is the Professional Development Manager, heading up various training initiatives and an in-house Leadership Excellence Program. With over 25 years of leadership development, career coaching, as well as training and facilitation experience, she has worked in the U.S. and globally, across multiple industries, including higher education, finance, insurance, and biopharmaceuticals. Ann earned a Master of Science and a B.A. in Management, as well as a PHR designation.
Dr. Shantell Strickland-Davis, Associate Vice President of Organizational Learning and Leadership Development, Central Piedmont Community College	Dr. Shantell Strickland-Davis serves as Associate Vice President of Organizational Learning and Leadership Development at Central Piedmont Community College, where she leads talent, leadership, and professional learning initiatives. With more than 14 years in higher education and five years in corporate training, she is a published author, presenter, and founding executive director of the college’s first teaching and learning center. Her research focuses on faculty efficacy, leadership development, and student success.
Reid Beaver, Chief Human Resources Officer, Central Piedmont Community College	Reid Beaver serves as Chief Human Resources Officer at Central Piedmont Community College, where he leads strategies for talent, employee experience, leadership development, employee relations, compensation, and workforce planning. With 15+ years of experience in HR, employment law, and organizational leadership, he has held leadership roles in higher education, Fortune 50 retail, media, and legal practice. A licensed attorney and frequent trainer, Reid specializes in practical, data-informed solutions that strengthen leaders, workplaces, and organizational effectiveness.
Toyinda Smith, The Principal of The Coaching Seat, LLC	Toyinda L. Smith, MS, PCC, is Principal of The Coaching Seat®, LLC, where she equips leaders to improve engagement, performance, and workplace culture through a coaching approach. An ICF Professional Certified Coach, TEDx and DisruptHR speaker, and visionary of the Champion Influence® Coaching Institute, she has more than 25 years of higher education and leadership development experience. Toyinda has partnered with organizations including WesBanco, Amazon, Dell Technologies, NC State SHRM Council, and Purdue University to develop leaders who create lasting impact.
LeTonya Shaw, Founder of Exit to Excel, LLC	LeTonya D. Shaw is a former Fortune 500 HR leader and Founder & Principal of Exit to Excel, LLC. With 25+ years guiding organizations and thousands of employees through layoffs, restructurings, labor relations, and workforce change, and having been laid off four times herself, she brings a rare perspective from both sides of the table.Her HR leadership experience spans organizations including Cognizant, Sutherland Healthcare Solutions, Honeywell, Merck, and Barclays, where she has led through complex workforce transitions, employee relations challenges, organizational change, and business transformation. She has also designed and delivered enterprise leadership and change management training for organizations including Cognizant, Sutherland Healthcare Solutions, and Warner Music Group. Today, she helps organizations and HR leaders navigate workforce change with greater clarity, preparedness, and humanity.
Dr. Timogi Jackson, Owner of Create & Facilitate, LLC	Dr. Timogi is the owner of Create & Facilitate, LLC, a North Carolina training solutions agency. Drawing on her experience as an educator, corporate, and nonprofit leader, she uses creative, human-centered methods to help people learn, grow, and remain curious. With more than two decades in leadership training, development, and coaching, her clients include Egger, Delhaize, Winston-Salem State University, North Carolina A&T, Leadership Davie County, Municipalities, and Chambers of Commerce. Visit her website for services, including leadership assessments.
Dr. Bob Shackleford, Established Shackleford Leadership Institute, Leadership Consultant, Executive Coach	25 year community college career - 15 years as President of Randolph Community College. Minor in Leadership Development in my Ph.D. Program at UNCG. Taught leadership in many military conferences as a military Chaplain. Started a leadership academies for students and faulty/staff at RCC. Decades of experience speaking at leadership conferences in community colleges, business/industry, military, and government agencies. Established Shackleford Leadership Institute, doing leadership training, speaking engagements, and executive coaching for organizations across several states.
Amanda Bryant, Senior Director, Human Resources, Carteret Community College	Amanda has led Human Resources at Carteret Community College since 2016, supporting employees throughout the full employee experience with compassion, professionalism, and integrity. A certified Crucial Conversations instructor, she has trained employees at Carteret and professionals across the state, including the NC Community College System Office. As founding president of NCACCHRP, Amanda has helped build a statewide network that connects, educates, and empowers community college HR professionals.
Marcella Thompson, Human Resources Specialist/Recruiting, Alamance Community College	Marcella Thompson is a HR Specialist/Recruitment at Alamance Community College with more than 30 years of leadership experience in Operations across public, private, and international organizations. With a BAS in Human Resources Management, she specializes in recruitment and selection committee format hiring. Known in previous roles for development, strategic planning, compliance, and organizational effectiveness, collaborative leadership and process improvement, Marcella is passionate about developing people, strengthening workplace culture, and aligning HR strategies with organizational goals.
Casey Bowden, LCMHC, Clinical Care Partner, MYgroup	Casey Bowden, LCMHC, is a Clinical Care Partner and in-house clinician with MYgroup. She holds Master’s degrees in Intercultural Studies and Clinical Mental Health. Working with individuals and couples, Casey helps clients to navigate relationships, life transitions, and emotional challenges. She brings a compassionate, culturally informed perspective to counseling and is passionate about empowering clients to develop greater understanding, connection, and peace.
Kelly Carpenter, LCSW, Clinical Care Supervisor, MYgroup	Kelly Carpenter, LCSW, is the Clinical Care Supervisor at MYgroup. With a Master of Social Work degree and over 20 years of experience, she is dedicated to supporting individuals and families through life’s challenges. She is passionate about building trust, fostering resilience, and helping clients access the resources and support they need to thrive.