Roxane White is leaving her post as manager of Denver’s human services department to become executive director of the Timothy and Bernadette Marquez Foundation.
White has been a key administrator in Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper’s administration, championing his initiative against homelessness.
Marquez, an oilman, and his wife, Bernadette, have been instrumental players in establishing a scholarship foundation that will pay for underprivileged Denver high school graduates to go to college. The two created a $50 million matching gift scholarship program.
White’s resignation will become effective April 15. Valerie Brooks, deputy manager, will take over as acting manager of Denver’s Human Services Department. A search for a replacement will begin immediately.
“Roxane is a skilled leader who has made significant improvements at human services and in doing has made our city a better place to live,” Hickenlooper said in a prepared statement announcing the resignation.
Denver’s human services provides over $260 million in services and programs to the residents of the city and county of Denver.
“It is always hard to lose dedicated, talented people but Roxane has built a good team and I am confident human services will continue to function at a high level,” Hickenlooper said in the statement.
White is chairwoman of the Mayor’s Commission to End Homelessness and also is on the Denver Preschool Program Board of Directors.
“It was a difficult decision to leave but the opportunity with the Timothy and Bernadette Marquez Foundation was too good to pass up,” White said in a prepared statement. “My entire professional life has been dedicated to helping those in need; that is my passion.”
Christopher N. Osher: 303-954-1747 or cosher@denverpost.com
