Hakeem E. Rogers currently serves as the Deputy Director of Competitive and Leisure Activities at the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR). With nearly a decade of combined experience in both local government and the private sector, Mr. Rogers brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his role.
Prior to joining DPR, Hakeem was the Associate Director for the Office of Youth Programs (OYP), where he successfully managed an annual budget of $40 million. In this capacity, he oversaw all locally funded workforce programming, including major initiatives such as the Mayor Marion Barry Summer Youth Employment Program, the Career Ready Early Scholars Program, the Marion Barry Youth Leadership Institute, and the High School Internship Program.
Before assuming his role as Associate Director, Hakeem served as the Program Manager for the Mayor Marion Barry Summer Youth Employment Program and as OYP Operations Manager during the COVID-19 pandemic. During this time, he developed OYP’s first-ever virtual upload system, enabling over 10,000 youth to submit documents virtually. He also played a pivotal role in addressing learning loss by launching programs like the East of the River Career Pathways Program and collaborating with DC Public Schools (DCPS) on Earn and Learn initiatives, which bridged the gap between workforce development and education.
From 2016 to 2018, Hakeem served in the Bowser administration as a Ward 5 Community Relations and Services Liaison, where he built collaborative partnerships with various DC government agencies to resolve key issues affecting residents. His efforts in coordinating multi-agency responses helped address persistent neighborhood challenges and provided tailored services to meet the unique needs of Ward 5.
Before entering public service, Hakeem founded Absolute |x| Value, a mentorship program for Brentwood youth, while working as a paralegal at Whiteford, Taylor & Preston, LLC.
Hakeem is also a United States Department Professional Fellowship Alumni and a proud member of the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals.
A native Washingtonian and proud DCPS graduate, Hakeem holds a Bachelor of Arts, from the University of Maryland, College Park. He also completed the Executive Education Program in Program Management at Duke University's Fuqua School of Business.