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Elizabeth Teagarden Headshot

Dr. Elizabeth Teagarden, SHRM-SCP, SPHR

“Dr. T” is a passionate workplace problem fixer. Her people problem fixing fascination began in the late ’90s when her executive coach (the magnificent Nancy Dorrier) said of a workplace kerfuffle: “you know … it’d be a great place to work if it wasn’t for the people.” This wry insight sparked a now decades-long quest to master how to raise the odds that we all get along and do great work. A specialist in the art and science of people operations, Elizabeth helps owners and managers build great places to work.

Elizabeth is a North Carolina Dispute Resolution Commission Certified Superior Court Mediator. In addition, she serves on the panel of mediators for the Retaliatory Employment Discrimination Bureau of the North Carolina Department of Labor.

For over a decade, Elizabeth has owned and successfully operated the organizational development and management consultancy scandent HR, LLC. She met the team at Conrad Trosch & Kemmy, P.A. in 2014 when the partners engaged her to facilitate the annual partner retreat. Over the years, Elizabeth continued to help CTK navigate many leadership, organizational change, and talent challenges. It was out of this work that she and Bill Trosch hatched the innovative idea to join their distinct expertise into a strategic human resources practice – CTK@work. In this way, clients benefit from the combination of the best of organizational science and labor and employment legal know-how.

Dr. Elizabeth Teagarden, SHRM-SCP, SPHR received her doctorate from North Carolina State University and is admitted to both the American Psychological Association and the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology. Elizabeth’s career has deep roots in the Charlotte community and has spanned several helping professions from nonprofit administration to community leadership to faculty teaching. A lifelong fan of live, local music, Elizabeth decided to became a musician late in life. This journey led her to her husband Scott when they met at guitar camp at The Swannanoa Gathering. Together they make beautiful music at home with her two wonderful teenagers – Benjamin (on jazz trumpet) and Catherine (on sax).

William C. “Bill” Trosch

As the Managing Partner of the law firm of Conrad Trosch & Kemmy, PA and the legal engine behind CTK@work, Bill provides expertise, oversight, leadership, and guidance to companies and their leaders throughout the greater Charlotte area. Bill has almost 30 years in helping people and companies with their business and employment law needs.

If there is one thing that our clients should know, then it’s the fact that Bill will call it like he sees it. Clients come to Bill with a problem or question and by the time the work is done, he strives to ensure that our team has sufficiently educated the client to understand the risks and benefits of the various roads they may go down; and, provided them with the tools and assistance to safely travel down that road.

Bill has been very involved in working in many of the communities that make up the broader Charlotte region. While working through his church, a local advocate for the (former) Piedmont Courts public housing development described Bill as “someone who could relate to – and treat each with the same respect – a third grader in the housing projects who is struggling in school, the Mayor of Charlotte, the CEO of Bank of America, and everyone in between.”

Bill is happily married to his wife, Lisa, with whom he has three wonderful children, Liam, Kenzie, and Gavin. Bill loves people of all types, serving on the boards of directors of a number of local charities, including Freedom School Partners, Refugee Support Services, and Above and Beyond Students.

Bill strives to follow the advice of Atticus Finch, from Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird: “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view … Until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” Bill believes it is impossible to effectively deal with others (friend or foe) until you understand where they are coming from.

Jane Lursen

She’s been called unflappable. A conflict resolution ninja, Jane joins CTK@work with decades of experience in the legal field. She’s a keen listener and her desire is to meet each person she speaks with at the point of their need. She has a heart for client support through building strong, positive relationships, and enjoys weaving a tapestry of trust through day-to-day interactions. You will find her accessible, genuine and eager to help you find the solutions you need on the HR compliance journey and to become the thriving company you seek to be. Her responsibilities include answering general HR questions, problem-solving HR situational judgment calls, conflict resolution through our ombudsman service, and general administration.

Jane graduated Cum Laude from Winthrop College, where she met her husband and together, they have three grown, beautiful, productive children and two grandchildren that make her life rich. From a large family herself, Jane has ties from Louisiana to Pennsylvania to the Midwest. She enjoys spending her free time with family, gardening, or exploring nature. A down-to-earth person, she makes clients feel like family.

Alex Kearns

Alex Kearns’ serves clients with what he calls “Intentional Excellence” applied in every client interaction. He brings over 20 years of excellent client services experience in the legal, retail and healthcare fields. His favorite part of serving CTK@work clients is being able to shape and define the client experience across all our services. Alex has an active role in our hiring and selection services with a particular gift for strategic interviewing.

In his free time, Alex is an avid sports fan who volunteers as a girls’ basketball coach a few times a year with his daughter. Originally from Maryland, Alex is a fan of the Baltimore Orioles and Ravens along with cheering on his local teams most notably Charlotte FC. Alex loves to travel with his wife and daughter to the beach and sporting events around the region.