During the July National Association of Counties (NACo) conference featuring more than 3,000 counties from across the country, Buncombe County earned an impressive seven 2026 Achievement Awards including our first-ever Best-in-Category for Economic Service’s Staff Development Training program.

“Winning multiple awards demonstrates the County’s national leadership in effective, innovative, and community-focused local government. These awards show that we are doing work that is considered a best practice by NACo,” says Strategy & Innovation Director Rafael Baptista. “It’s verification of the County’s commitment to high-quality public service, staff development, operational excellence, and continuous improvement. Buncombe County stands out among counties nationwide. We earned one of only 18 Best-in-Category recognitions. And in the Personnel Management category alone, 143 programs were highlighted nationally, yet Buncombe was the only Best-in-Class winner, underscoring exceptional performance in workforce development.” 

Staff Development Manager Heather Ramsey says learning her team earned the Best-in-Category award for their Staff Development program was exciting and incredibly meaningful: “Learning that this is the first time Buncombe County has received Best-in-Category recognition from NACo made the accomplishment even more special. This recognition belongs to an entire team. Countless hours were spent developing curriculum, recording training sessions, tracking NC FAST trends, organizing resources, and continuously improving the learning platform. Seeing that work recognized on a national stage is both humbling and rewarding.”  

And that work is also being recognized across the state as 73 of the state’s 100 counties are utilizing the platform in addition to North Carolina’s Division of Health Benefits and Department of Health and Human Services.
“The response has been overwhelmingly positive,” notes Heather. “Counties have shared that the platform has transformed the way they train new employees, particularly for counties without dedicated training staff. One county reported that it had never previously had a formal training program and is now using the training platform’s resources to structure its onboarding process. Another county shared that employees continue using the platform long after their onboarding because it helps them navigate complex program areas while reducing the amount of one-on-one training supervisors need to provide. Several counties have also reached out for guidance on developing learning platforms modeled after Buncombe County’s approach, further extending the program’s impact.”  

Additional HHS Staff Development Specialists and Income Maintenance Resource Specialists include Alexandra Carver, Christine Rokeby-Jackson, Dustin Doing, Jennifer Gray, Laura Pakonis, Leah Clark, Lisa Young, Nicholas Fierstos, Roberta Lewis, Tia Beaver, and Tricia Niemczyk. 

At the NACo conference, Elections Director Corinne Duncan joined a panel of national elections experts to share how Buncombe County is preparing for the upcoming election. 

Along with the Best-in-Category award for the Staff Development program, Buncombe County also was honored by NACo for the following: 

Award: Tax Assessment Reappraisal Process 
Category: County Administration and Management 
Associated Department: Property Assessment 
Team Member(s): Eric Cregger 

Award: Improving Efficiency and Lifespan of Ambulance Fleet 
Category: County Resiliency: Infrastructure, Energy and Sustainability 
Associated Departments: EMS, Sustainability, Fleet 
Team Member(s): Jamie Judd, Taylor Jones, Jackie Hamstead 

Award: HHS Response Team Framework 
Category: Human Services 
Associated Department: Health and Human Services 
Team Member(s): David Sweat, Nathan Greene 

Award: HR Voice 
Category: Personnel Management, Employment and Training 
Associated Department: Human Resources 
Team Member(s): Richard Bell, Rocio Borghini 

Award: Post-Hurricane Helene Mental Health Support 
Category: Personnel Management, Employment and Training 
Associated Department: Human Resources 
Team Member(s): Richard Bell, Rocio Borghini 

Award: United in Steps, Stronger in Service 
Category: Personnel Management, Employment and Training 
Associated Department: Human Resources 
Team Member(s): Richard Bell, Rocio Borghini 

For more information, visit www.naco.org.  

Source: Buncombe County PIO.