Excellence is a guiding principle at Mecklenburg County. It’s at the foundation of the work we do and the services we provide to the residents of our community. We measure excellence in many ways including through the MeckACTs awards, which started last year. It’s Mecklenburg County’s enterprise competency model that serves as the basis for how we select, develop, evaluate and recognize our team members across the County.  

Four winners were selected out of 50 nominations. Human Resources vetted the winners to ensure criteria and eligibility were met. Finalists were selected by the Human Resources Advisory Council which includes human resources professionals in the Charlotte area.

Angela Johnson, GIS Supervisor in Land Use and Environmental Services Agency

A woman wearing a black dress is holding an award beside a woman in a blue dress

Competency Focus – Providing Excellent Customer Service, Enhancing Collaboration, Spurring Innovation

Angela Johnson is a pioneer in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and revolutionized the address assignment process. She developed a GIS-addressing workflow web application, setting a precedent in the state. Angela also led a County addressing working committee, revising the County addressing manual to align with industry standards. Her collaborative approach and strategic mindset fostered strong partnerships and facilitated cooperation across jurisdictions. Angela is dedicated to providing high levels of customer service like the time she helped with a request regarding the naming of Airport Beacon Lane, in collaboration with Duke Energy. 

Ashley Smith, Environmental Supervisor in Land Use and Environmental Services Agency

A woman in black holding an award standing with a woman wearing blue.

Competency Focus – Enhancing Collaboration, Spurring Innovation, Driving Change, Providing Excellent Customer Service

Ashley is a dedicated and hard-working employee on the Storm Water Services Pollution Prevention team. She helps her colleagues with various programs such as stream walks, collecting aquatic macroinvertebrates and fish, and developing volunteer programs like Second Saturdays. Since joining in 2016, she has increased volunteer participation by 53%. The Pollution Prevention team has engaged 24,048 volunteers, educated 15,017 students and planted 3,183 trees in flood plains. She also started the VolunThursday program to encourage residents to improve the natural environment in 2020. Ashley’s innovative thinking has contributed to the success of her programs and the positive impact on Mecklenburg County. 

Kimberly Bayha, Health Program Supervisor in Public Health

A woman holding a award beside another woman

Competency Focus – Aligning to Strategy and Executing, Providing Excellent Customer Service, Enhancing Collaboration, Developing People, Spurring Innovation, Driving Change

Kim Bayha, a tobacco control supervisor in Public Health, sets high goals and encourages her team to achieve the same. Bayha’s excellent customer service skills are evident in her numerous compliments in the Office of Chronic Disease Policy & Prevention’s customer satisfaction survey. She is an excellent collaborator, always seeking ways to work together with community organizations to make a difference. Bayha has launched the Change for Life: Tobacco-Free Recovery Coalition, a network of behavioral health professionals supporting tobacco-free environments. She is a sought-after speaker, representing Mecklenburg County well locally and nationally. Bayha has also worked on health equity initiatives, partnering with the Center for Black Health and Equity to improve health outcomes among racial and ethnic minority groups.

Raydiance Swanston, Health Program Manager in Public Health

Two women wearing blue. One is holding an award.

Competency Focus – Providing Excellent Customer Service, Enhancing Collaboration, Spurring Innovation, Driving Change.

Since Raydiance became Public Health’s dental program manager, she has secured $12 million in grant funds to improve the dental program. Her efforts have led to adding health screenings and referrals as part of dental visits, expanding staff for community outreach and bringing in a new dental mobile unit. Under her leadership, the pediatric dental program has provided low-cost or free services to over 10,000 residents. She also started the Save a Smile Program, offering in-office sedation for uninsured pediatric patients needing extensive dental treatment, and revamped the County’s efforts with the National Give Kids a Smile Day, providing comprehensive dental services to children through the Mecklenburg County Pediatric Dental Clinic.

Congratulations to this year’s award recipients!