Brown: 'My Work Here is Done'
Beyond Career, It's Time to Follow Calling, said Brown of Her Decision to Retire
In an exclusive interview with Prince George's Suite Magazine, Dr. Jacqueline
Brown, the county's chief administrative officer, talked about her decision to
retire after six and a half years of service. Brown's announcement, made late
last week, sent shock waves through the corridors of leadership, and in the
community. The news came some 14 months before the end of the Johnson
Administration's term.
Dr. Jacqueline Brown, Chief Administrative Officer, Prince George's County, Md.
Brown discussed her reasons for the early departure, her contributions and
legacy, hopes and plans for the future in the interview which will be published
in the Summer edition of Prince George's Suite Magazine.
Amid some speculation and concern, Brown said the only force guiding her
decision is her personal faith after working in the public sector since the age
of 16 when she began as a camp counselor. "After nearly 48 years of public
service--whether I was doing it or studying how to do it--at this point, I want
to see what might be next in terms of calling and not so much in terms of
career," she said.
“I got that message from a lot of prayer and consultation from the people that
I love most in my life. The message is: Let's take a breather right about now.
Let's see where God wants you to go from here. God certainly brought me to this
place and point, so I know that He knows when it's time for me to be someplace
else. I don’t know where that someplace else is, but I have learned to listen
over the years to follow the calling when it comes.”
When asked why not complete the term, Brown said it's a matter of having
satisfied the mission and not micromanaging the process. She said the move comes
at a time when her goals have been met and department heads in the
administration are capable of carrying out the final stretch of Johnson's term
in her absence.
Dr. Jacqueline Brown, gives an exclusive interview to Prince George's Suite magazine.
See Dr. Brown's bio, legacy, and Q&A excerpt.
“When I spoke with county executive [Jack B. Johnson] about this decision, he
said, ‘If they haven’t gotten what you have tried to teach them by now, then
we’re in deeper trouble than this decision,’” she said.
Staff and community members commonly say Brown's leadership in support--and
sometimes defense--of the county will be missed.
“She was always there, people know that they can depend on her and now they
feel a sense of emptiness. There's a void,” says one staffer. “They
knew that she is for real and on their side and they wonder what will happen
now.”
There has been no announcement of any replacement to the CAO position.
Over the years, Brown became known for her conscientious approach to the
problems that faced the county, often blending intellectual analysis with common
sense to resolve the issues of the day.
Her tenure with the administration also made history, as she is the first woman
to oversee all government services in the state's second largest county. In this
role, she was responsible for the daily operations of 6,000-plus county
employees, and Prince George's budget, which averaged about $2 billion.
--PGS Staff
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