Jeff Perry, the chief financial officer, and Bernadette Thomas, the medical director, also resigned from their positions at Multnomah County’s community health center. These departures were unrelated to Rhodes’ resignation.
Darnell “DJ” Rhodes, who was hired as the executive director of Multnomah County’s community health center in April 2023, has resigned after less than a year. Rhodes, who was earning $273,000 annually, stepped down on Friday. When he was hired, county officials praised him as “a proven leader and strategic thinker” after a national recruitment process.
In his role, Rhodes was responsible for overseeing eight primary care health centers, seven dental clinics, seven pharmacies, and nine student health centers within the county. However, Rhodes faced challenges shortly after starting in his position and was placed on paid administrative leave in October. He later revealed to Willamette Week that he had experienced discrimination as a Black leader within the organization. Rhodes returned from leave in January but chose to resign from his position.
