New Arizona Department of Economic Security director inherits a long list of challenges
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Angie Rodgers spent the last decade of her career running the Arizona Food Bank Network, working with food banks across the state to keep food on the table for the growing number of Arizonans who need it.
Now she’s stepping into a new role in Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs’ administration as the director of the Arizona Department of Economic Security — a vast safety net agency that oversees programs from unemployment assistance and food stamps to child support, refugee resettlement and both the Division of Developmental Disabilities and Adult Protective Services.
With it, she’s inheriting her share of issues as well, including the overpayment of unemployment benefits to potentially hundreds of thousands of Arizonans during the pandemic.
The Show spoke with her about all that and more, beginning with her background and how she is approaching her new role.
