Carmel Roques To Be Sworn In as New Maryland Department of Aging Secretary

The Maryland Department of Aging is pleased to welcome Carmel Roques, appointed by Governor Wes Moore and sworn in this month as the new Secretary and leader of the department. With more than 30 years of experience in the aging field, Roques has proven her  dedication to improving the lives of older people and their families.

Known for her multi-sector, collaborative approach to planning and preparing for healthy longer lives in Maryland, Roques has led and transformed non-profit organizations, building strong cultures of service excellence and innovation. Her expertise includes dementia, palliative care, strategic planning, organizational development, community health, and service delivery models for older people.

Roques served for a decade as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Keswick Multi-Care Center in Baltimore, a 138-year-old not-for-profit 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 prior to that, she worked for twelve years at the Episcopal Ministries to the Aging in Eldersburg, Maryland, culminating in more than  three years as COO. 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. Roques 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.

We at the Department of Aging welcome Secretary Roques and look forward to many years of working together to enhance and improve the lives of older adults across Maryland, while continuing to make Maryland a great place to live and age.

From the Maryland Department of Aging March Newsletter