Wilmington Biz

McCracken Hired As Vp Of Human Resources At Coastal Horizons

Travis McCracken Coastal Horizons has hired Travis McCracken as vice president of human resources. McCracken succeeds Bob Jalbert, who will retire at the end of May following 19 years of service to the organization. Jalbert’s final day with Coastal Horizons will be May 29. During his nearly two decades with the nonprofit organization, Jalbert oversaw all aspects of human resources, including recruitment, orientation, compensation, benefits and employee relations, according to a news release. "His leadership helped guide the organization through a period of extraordinary growth and transformation," the release stated. When Jalbert joined Coastal Horizons, the organization employed 138 individuals. Today, Coastal Horizons has grown to 804 employees serving communities across more than half of North Carolina’s counties. “Bob’s impact on Coastal Horizons has been extraordinary,” said Margaret Weller-Stargell in the release. “For 19 years, he has led with integrity, steadiness, compassion and deep care for our employees. Bob helped build the strong workplace culture we have today, and his contributions to this organization are lasting. We are incredibly grateful for his service and wish him all the best in retirement.” McCracken brings nearly two decades of human resources experience and is recognized for building people-focused workplace cultures, developing leaders and implementing practical HR strategies that support organizational growth and employee engagement, according to the release. He holds both SHRM-SCP and SPHR certifications and earned a master's degree in human resources management. McCracken serves on the board of the Lower Cape Fear SHRM and is actively involved in the Wilmington community. He is also a graduate of the Leadership Wilmington Class of 2026 through the Greater Wilmington Chamber of Commerce. In 2025, McCracken received the BambooHR Experience Makers Award for Business Growth. "Travis brings tremendous energy, expertise and a people-centered approach to Human Resources," Weller-Stargell stated in the release. "His leadership style reflects our commitment to supporting employees while continuing to strengthen and grow our organization. We are excited to welcome Travis to the Coastal Horizons family and look forward to the vision and leadership he will bring to our team." Coastal Horizons, which offers substance use and mental health services, among other help, estimates that it serves more than 25,000 individuals annually across 62 North Carolina counties.