Carmel Roques, Secretary
Carmel Roques, Secretary of the Department of Aging,
is a visionary leader dedicated to improving the lives of older adults, caregivers, and their families.
Throughout her career, Roques has championed the contributions of the older population to the economic and social fabric of Maryland, and she continues in her role as Secretary to educate on the need to prepare for, explore, better understand, and appreciate longer lives.
Known for her collaborative approach, Secretary Roques led the department’s efforts to get an Executive Order signed by Governor Moore implementing Longevity Ready Maryland (LRM), a ten-year multisector plan for aging to prepare Maryland for the challenges and maximize the benefits and opportunities of a rapidly aging society. Securing an Executive Order has solidified the state’s commitment to make the well-being of older Marylanders an urgent and essential priority and help build a more just and equitable future for all Marylanders.
Roques served for a decade as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Keswick Multi-Care Center in Baltimore, a 138-year-old nonprofit community healthcare provider. She served as CEO throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, creating the emergency response infrastructure required to keep residents, families, and employees safe and healthy. As CEO, she also led the creation of Keswick Community Health’s Wise & Well Center for Healthy Living.
Before serving as CEO of Keswick, Roques was Chief Operating Officer for Virginia United Methodist Homes and the Episcopal Ministries to the Aging in Eldersburg, Maryland. Her early career roles included Director of Adult Day Care and Director of Home Care Services for Catholic Charities in Baltimore.
Roques has proudly served on many community boards including The Village Learning Place, The Maryland American Diabetes Association, Friends and Foundation of Howard County Library, and currently Maryland Humanities. She has also served older people and their families on the Maryland Commission on Aging, the Maryland Medicare/Medicaid Advisory Committee, the Maryland Coalition on Mental Health and Aging, and the Maryland CARE Transformation Steering Committee. Roques served as past Chair of both the Maryland Philanthropy Network and LifeSpan Network and has been recognized by the Daily Record among Maryland Top 100 Women, Top CEOs, and Influential Leaders in Health Care.
Roques has a Master of Arts Degree from the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration and a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Mills College in Oakland, California. She lives in Columbia, Maryland.
Jennifer Crawley, Deputy Secretary
Jennifer Crawley, Deputy Secretary of the Department of Aging, brings to the department 25 years of combined experience in local government and the private healthcare industry, including program administration, population health, patient advocacy, building and facilitating collaborations, stakeholder engagement, care coordination, and leading cross-functional teams.
Prior to joining the department as the Director of Multisector Planning for Aging, Jenna served as the Area Agency on Aging Administrator for Howard County, where she oversaw programs and services for older adults, caregivers, and individuals living with disabilities, including establishing and directing pandemic response services and initiating Howard County Age-Friendly.
Before serving in Howard County, Crawley oversaw daily operations of Medicaid home and community-based long-term care services for the District of Columbia Department of Healthcare Finance and was the Chief Social Worker for a home-based primary medical care team. Crawley earned her Master of Social Work from the University of Maryland, Baltimore and her Bachelor of Science in Family Studies from UMD, College Park.
