Shantell Strickland-Davis
Associate Vice President, Organizational Learning & Development Central Piedmont Community College
Dr. Shantell Strickland-Davis is a seasoned leader in higher education with over 14 years of diverse experience in teaching and learning roles within the community college sector, alongside five years in corporate training and education. Currently, she serves as the Associate Vice President of Organizational Learning and Leadership Development at Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte, NC, where she is the chief talent development officer. In this role, she consults with all units of the college to design and develop professional learning programs and resources that foster a culture of institutional excellence.
Dr. Strickland-Davis oversees all aspects of professional learning and engagement at the college, including talent and leadership development programs, online teaching, and coaching support for college leaders. She is also the founding executive director of Central Piedmont’s first teaching and learning center, continuing to facilitate faculty workshops and teach adjunct courses to maintain her connection to student success practices.
A published author and presenter, Dr. Strickland-Davis’s research focuses on faculty efficacy and confidence, particularly in how community college faculty can be best supported through classroom instruction and engagement. Her recent research explores the academic department chair role, aiming to facilitate the transition of faculty into formal leadership positions in academia.
Dr. Strickland-Davis holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, a master’s degree in instructional design from Appalachian State University, and a Ph.D. in education from Old Dominion University. As an innovative, equity-driven leader, she is committed to advancing institutional strategy and professional learning excellence, ensuring that faculty, staff, and students thrive.
Seminars
- Replacing outdated, inflated evaluation scores and once a year rating conversations with a continuous Individual Development Plan model that shifts ownership of growth back to employees, aligns development to competency frameworks, and re-frames the manager’s role around year-round coaching rather than an annual numerical judgment.
- Elevating performance conversations by training supervisors in courageous conversations, performance coaching, and expectation setting, moving the institution away from “surprise discipline” and toward transparent, consistent, ongoing dialogue that improves clarity, equity, and trust across both staff and faculty groups.
- Early impact signals show stronger satisfaction, higher engagement with development planning, and increased demand from peer colleges to learn the model, positioning Central Piedmont as a sector leader in modern, employee-driven development at a time when community colleges are rethinking talent strategy, retention approaches, and the future of work.
- How can universities co‑create leadership and culture frameworks with faculty and staff so they feel community‑owned rather than HR‑mandated?
- What design choices matter most when moving from one‑off leadership programs to a multi‑level, institution‑wide leadership architecture?
- How can leadership expectations be embedded consistently across the employee lifecycle (recruitment, development, performance, recognition) in a shared‑governance environment?
- What indicators best demonstrate leadership impact in higher education, such as reduced escalation to HR, stronger succession readiness, or increased cross‑campus engagement?
