Meeting/Event Information

This is a Hybrid event- both virtual and in person tickets are available.

Re-Entry & Second Chance Hiring: What Employers Need to Know

Employers are facing persistent workforce challenges while untapped talent remains sidelined by barriers related to justice involvement, recover, and access to opportunity. This timely panel discussion will explore how re-entry and second chance employment initiatives can help employers expand their talent pipelines, strengthen workforce stability, and create more inclusive hiring practices, while positively impacting individuals and the community.

Our panelists bring diverse perspectives from local government, workforce development, recovery-based employment, and human resources, including both professional expertise and lived experience. Together, they will share insights on supportive services available to justice-involved individuals, the role employers can play in successful re-entry, and practical considerations for HR professionals navigating second chance hiring. Panelists include:

Brent Bailey – Program Coordinator, Buncombe County Re-Entry Council

Brent Bailey is the Program Coordinator for the Buncombe County Re-Entry Council, where he assists individuals returning to Buncombe County from prison with goals related to housing, transportation, education, and employment. With more than 16 years of experience in re-entry work, Brent brings both professional expertise and personal insight as a formerly incarcerated individual. He has presented on prison re-entry across North Carolina and is deeply committed to building pathways that support successful community reintegration.

Diana Blackett – Director of Workforce Partnerships, Economic Development Coalition | Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce

Diana’s education and professional background span Retail Management, Business Administration, Hospitality, Healthcare, and Human Resources. She is a SHRM Certified Professional who brings a people-centered, strategic approach to workforce development. At the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce, Diana leads key workforce initiatives including Next AVL, a mentorship program connecting local college students with professionals; Accelerate Buncombe, a training initiative supporting individuals through paid, short-term credential programs; and Inclusive Hiring Partners, a collaborative network linking residents facing employment barriers with supportive employers and wraparound services. Her diverse background equips her to address workforce challenges through an equitable and innovative lens, and she is passionate about creating pathways for marginalized, underemployed, justice-involved, and emerging workforce populations through connection, strategy, and purpose.

Kelly Bowling – Ecosystems Coordinator, Operation Gateway

Kelly Bowling serves as Operation Gateway’s Recovery Ecosystems Coordinator, where he leads implementation of the ACE Grant and advances advocacy, collaboration, and education across the recovery ecosystem. In support of Operation Gateway’s 2026 goal—that 100% of individuals seeking substance use disorder treatment can access care—Kelly works to build sustainable systems, identify service gaps, and drive meaningful social change.  A graduate of Duke University with a degree in Religion, Kelly brings powerful lived experience to his work. After experiencing significant life trauma, he developed a substance use disorder that led to incarceration. He entered treatment in Asheville in 2023 and successfully completed probation in NC in 2025, following incarceration related to substance use. Since completing treatment, he has become a respected recovery leader, serving on the Board of the Asheville 12-Step Club and supporting justice-involved individuals through resource navigation and community outreach, guided by his faith and commitment to service.

Ronnie Copeland – Manager, Asheville Reset Project | City of Asheville

Ronnie Copeland manages the Asheville Reset Project, a City of Asheville initiative rotted in excellence, empathy, ethics, and integrity. The program provides fair and comprehensive support services for justice-involved job seekers and employees, empowering individuals to move beyond being defined by their past records. Ronnie brings a powerful and unique perspective as both a formerly justice-involved individual and doctoral-level business professional with a concentration in organizational leadership. Her work centers on advocacy, access, and long-term workforce success.

Terry Houck, Jr. – Founder, Learning-To-Lead, LLC

Terry Houck, Jr. is the founder of Learning-To-Lead LLC, a company established in 2023 with roots in an operating model originally developed through AMP-Connect, which was acquired in 2021. Learning-To-Lead partners with the long-term residential recovery program FIRST at Blue Ridge, a state-licensed therapeutic community serving individuals overcoming substance use disorder, justice involvement, and socioeconomic barriers. Terry works with Western North Carolina employers to coordinate entry-level placements through a recovery-based vocational training model designed to lead to full-time employment and advancement opportunities. He also serves in leadership roles on the Inclusive Hiring Partners Advisory Council and the Recovery Friendly Workplace Advisory Council.

Ellen Steele – HR Business Partner, Atlas Precision

Ellen Steele is an HR professional with 30 years of experience supporting organizations of all sizes, from small family businesses to complex corporate environments. Over the course of her career, she has advised more than 300 companies on HR services ranging from entry-level training to executive-level guidance. Holding senior-level HR certifications through HRCI and SHRM, Ellen currently serves as HR Business Partner at Atlas Precision. One of her most meaningful professional accomplishments has been stabilizing an entry-level workforce by supporting trainees in recovery and witnessing their long-term success.

WNCHRA conducts a monthly chapter meeting on the second Wednesday of each month.  Meetings are typically a breakfast meeting but may vary in time to include lunch and afternoon meetings.  

Each meeting members are provided chapter, NCSHRM and SHRM updates in addition to programming that provides SHRM and HRCI credit.