Maurice Henderson, Mayor Ted Wheeler’s First Chief of Staff, Will Leave TriMet After Brief Tenure

Henderson will join the e-scooter company Bird and is moving to "spend more time with my family in Bend."

Maurice Henderson, who was Mayor Ted Wheeler's first chief of staff, has announced he's leaving TriMet after a brief tenure as the transportation agency's chief operating officer.

Henderson, who left the mayor's office in July, is joining the e-scooter company Bird, in Bend, which he called "an exciting professional opportunity."

"While the new position will require me to frequently travel to cities across the country, it will also allow me greater flexibility to spend more time with my family in Bend," he said in statement to TriMet employees.

His last day at TriMet will be Feb. 11.

"While Henderson's tenure with TriMet has been short, he has played an important role in advancing TriMet's mobility efforts," says Trimet General Manager Doug Kelsey in a statement.

"We will miss his leadership and steady hand on key issues. We wish him the best of luck in his new endeavors. Over the next few months, we will be conducting a search to find the new Chief Operating Officer. It is our priority to find the most appropriate individual to fill this role."

Willamette Week’s reporting has concrete impacts that change laws, force action from civic leaders, and drive compromised politicians from public office. Support WW's journalism today.