Cumberland County hires first chief diversity officer
Nikeisha Waring has been hired as Cumberland County’s first chief diversity officer, County Manager Amy Cannon said in a release. She started Oct. 10.
Waring retired from the military in November 2020 after 22 years at Fort Bragg, the release said. During her last four years with the military, she served as an equal opportunity advisor. In that role, she was responsible for planning, directing, implementing and monitoring EEO programs, and advising senior leadership on issues affecting the workforce, the release said.
Following her military career, Waring served as an equal employment opportunity specialist at the Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command in Norfolk, Virginia, the release said.
She has a master of science in organizational leadership from Excelsior University in Albany, New York, and has a number of certifications related to EEO training, leadership and mediation, the release said.
“I am excited about the experience Mrs. Waring brings from her career in the military and education, and I believe her addition will allow us to continue the momentum that has been building over the past several years in the area of DEI,” Cannon said in the release. “Mrs. Waring will be tasked with advancing the county’s priorities of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion through coordination with the DEI Advisory Committee, county department heads, the management team and Board of Commissioners, employees and other stakeholders. Among her first priorities will be working to continue implementation of the county’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Strategic Plan, which was adopted earlier this year.”
Waring said she is looking forward to her new position.
“I’m looking forward to working with the DEI Advisory Committee and other stakeholders to help further Cumberland County’s goals of being a more diverse, equitable and inclusive place for our employees,” she said in the release. “It is important to me that every county employee knows that ‘This person believes in you.’”
County hires human resources director
Dominique Hall has been hired as Cumberland County’s new human resources director, County Manager Amy Cannon announced in a release.
Hall’s first day with the county will be Monday.
She comes to Cumberland County from Dougherty County, Georgia, where she has served as the county’s human resources director since August 2016, the release said. Prior to that, she served in other roles in the Dougherty County Human Resources Department, including as a human resources project manager, the release said.
Hall has a bachelor’s degree in accounting and a master of business administration from Georgia Southwestern State University. She also holds a Professional in Human Resources (PHR) certification from the Human Resources Certification Institute, the release said.
“We were impressed by Ms. Hall’s experience and background during the recruitment process, as well as her exuberance and passion for HR and the critical role the department plays in moving organizations forward,” Cannon said in the release. “I believe Ms. Hall will be able to come in and work with Human Resources staff and county management to make immediate progress on moving many of the county’s HR goals and initiatives forward.”
Hall has also been involved in other projects in her current organization that are relevant to ongoing priorities in Cumberland County, including the recent completion and implementation of a compensation study, the release said. She also has experience leading a dynamic recruiting effort and engaging proactively with the community to develop talent pipelines, the release said.
“Paramount among these priorities will be completing a classification & compensation study, continuing to build the county’s HR team and building relationships with the county’s departments and other departmental HR divisions, as well as with our strategic partners as we seek to attract and recruit highly skilled employees to our organization,” Cannon added.
“I am eager to make the transition to Cumberland County to help strengthen the county’s Human Resources efforts,” said Hall. “One of my favorite quotes and one I try to live by is from Maya Angelou – ‘People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.’ Therefore, I strive to always treat everyone with kindness.”
Sheriff’s Office recognized for work with military law enforcement
The Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office has been recognized for its work with military law enforcement.
Capt. Sean Swain on Tuesday attended the International Association of Chiefs of Police Conference in Dallas to accept the Leadership in Civilian Law Enforcement/Military Cooperation Award, the Sheriff’s Office said in a release.
The award recognizes excellence in cooperation between civilian and military law enforcement agencies, the release said.
The Sheriff’s Office works with Army investigators in a number of ways, including collaborating on joint investigations, having resources on standby and participating in events on Fort Bragg to name a few, the release said.
The Sheriff’s Office also has a deputy assigned as a liaison officer to Fort Bragg. The liaison officer is responsible for serving criminal and civil processes on Fort Bragg, the release said.
DSS merges website with Cumberland County government
The county Department of Social Services has merged its website with Cumberland County government.
The move provides users easier navigation and mobile device compatibility. The new domain name cumberlandcountync.gov/dss allows residents to find all county-related information under a single website, the county said in a release.
The new website includes icons that allow for quick links to popular and frequently requested functional areas and topics, the release said.
The website also provides an improved search capability and makes information easier to find from anywhere in the Cumberland County website by using hot buttons with labels like “How do I,” “Departments,” “Your Gov” and “Business,” the release said.
City of Fayetteville receives budget award
The city of Fayetteville has been recognized by the Government Finance Officers Association for outstanding budgeting presentation, the city said in a release.
The city’s Budget & Evaluation office recently received notification of the receipt of the association’s Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for the annual budget adopted in June, the release said.
“I’m proud of the hard work and dedication city staff put into producing an award-winning budget,” Kelly Olivera, the assistant city manager, said in the release. “A balanced budget is the backbone of our city services ensuring transparency and accountability. Being recognized for excellence in budgeting demonstrates our continued commitment to being good stewards of our community’s trust.”
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