Reginald Bicha

Reginald "Reggie" Bicha (born 1969) is an American social worker and government administrator. He was the first secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families (2008–2011), and then served as director of the Colorado Department of Human Services (2011–2019).[1] Bicha is now President of Acelero, Inc., an educational services company in the United States.[2]

Reggie Bicha
Director of the Colorado Department of Human Services
In office
January 11, 2011 – February 2019
GovernorJohn Hickenlooper
Preceded byKaren L. Beye
Succeeded byMichelle Barnes
1st Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families
In office
July 1, 2008 – January 3, 2011
GovernorJim Doyle
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byEloise Anderson
Personal details
Born1969 (age 53–54)
Fort Worth, Texas, U.S.
Spouse
Becky Lynn Bicha
​
​
(m. 1992⁠–⁠2020)​
Children3
Alma materUniversity of Wisconsin–Eau Claire, University of Minnesota
WebsiteOfficial bio

Education

Born in 1969, Bicha was raised in La Crosse, Wisconsin. He was the first student Board of Education representative from Logan High School in La Crosse. After graduating in 1987, he enrolled at the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire, earning a bachelor's degree in social work in 1992. Bicha then moved to Monroe County, Wisconsin, where he served as a social worker and child abuse investigator. In 2000, he was selected as a "Title IV-E Child Welfare Scholar" by the University of Minnesota, where he received a master's degree in social work.[3][4][5]

Career

From 2001 to 2007, Bicha was the Director of Human Services in Pierce County, Wisconsin. In 2008, Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle tapped Bicha to become the first secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families. In that capacity, Bicha consolidated more than 30 statewide programs from two agencies into a single organization. He created the “Kidstat” performance management system to measure and improve child and family outcomes. Bicha also initiated prevention and permanency objectives aimed at reducing the number of children living in foster care.

In January 2011, Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper appointed Bicha Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Human Services.[6] Bicha is a past president of the American Public Human Services Association, and was presented the APHSA State and Local Outstanding Member Award. In May 2015, 87 Colorado legislators delivered a letter of no-confidence to Hickenlooper, asking that he "replace or correct" the highest levels of leadership at the Colorado Department of Human Services.[7] The letter detailed problems lawmakers attributed to mismanagement. As a response, Bicha pledged to improve communication with legislators. Hickenlooper's office released a four-page rebuttal to the letter from legislators, adding that Bicha has as "tough a job as there is".[8]

In January 2014, Bicha was recognized with the Casey Family Programs “Excellence for Children Award” and in 2012, he was selected for the Ascend Fellowship, sponsored by the Aspen Institute, to focus on approaches to moving children and parents beyond poverty.[9]

References
  1. "Gov. Polis appoints Michelle Barnes as executive director of CDHS". Colorado Department of Human Services. 2019-02-08. Retrieved 2019-12-19. Gov. Jared Polis announced today that he has appointed Michelle Barnes as executive director of the Colorado Department of Human Services ... Barnes succeeds Reggie Bicha, who held the executive director's post for the last eight years.
  2. "Reggie Bicha". Shine Early Learning. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
  3. "Reginald Bicha Announced as Department's New Deputy Secretary" (Press release). Archived from the original on June 19, 2010. Retrieved August 17, 2013.
  4. "Message from Secretary Bicha". Archived from the original on May 25, 2009. Retrieved October 24, 2009.
  5. "Reggie Bicha named Executive Director of Department of Human Services". Partners for Colorado. January 4, 2011. Archived from the original on July 15, 2011 – via Wayback Machine.
  6. "Reggie Bicha | The Official Site of Governor Hickenlooper". www.colorado.gov. Archived from the original on 2016-08-22.
  7. "Colorado human services director Reggie Bicha pledges better communication". 23 May 2015.
  8. "Gov. John Hickenlooper defends human services director Reggie Bicha". 14 May 2015.
  9. "Reggie Bicha | Ascend". ascend.aspeninstitute.org. Archived from the original on 2014-01-16.
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