Barnes Opens the Door for New BHA Deputy Commissioner, Kelly Causey
In response to JFM’s most recent drop, sources shared that Interim BHA Commissioner Barnes announced the hiring of Kelly Causey as the BHA’s Deputy Commissioner of Engagement. Causey is already listed on the BHA website leadership page as “Deputy Commissioner”.
What is most confusing for this collective is that Causey was announced last week by Barnes as the Senior Advisor of Children, Youth, and Families (CYF) on a contract basis. However, this week Barnes and Company announced Causey as the BAH Deputy Commissioner of Engagement without any explanation for the shift in role from CYF contractor to Deputy Commissioner. The collective’s understanding of state hiring practices is that is not a flexible system unless someone with power pulls levers only aware to those with privilege.
The contract piece intrigued JFM’s sources due to State lobbying rules and restrictions. The quick pivot to Deputy Commissioner generated even more confusion.
Per JFM’s vision laid out in yesterday’s drop:
It is easy for the JFM collective to imagine the announcement of new BHA leadership will usher in a harsh snap back to the status quo, as these leaders will most likely be white-identifying, privileged in their professional backgrounds, and somehow connected through previous work or friendship with Barnes, or one of the other villains of this story. The revolving door in Colorado politics continues to swing open for privileged insiders and shut on anyone dreaming of transformational change for the people of Colorado, like Dr. Medlock. JFM can only hope to be proven wrong.
The collective was seemingly correct in our forecasting. Capital sources confirm that Barnes and Causey have a longstanding relationship, including serving together on the Colorado Workforce Development Council.
The collective offers Causey a heartfelt recommendation as she sets off on her role as BHA Deputy Commissioner of Engagement, starting with engaging the incredible BIPOC groups that sent community letters on behalf of Dr. Medlock, and for whom were ignored by Governor Polis, Garnett, Gathercole, and Barnes.
