Early career
Rose began her career as a staff assistant to U.S. representative Richard L. Roudebush,serving from 1963 to 1964. [2] [3] She subsequently transitioned into academia,working as assistant dean at the George School in Bucks County,Pennsylvania,from 1964 to 1966. [1] [3] She then served as assistant director of admissions at Mount Holyoke College from 1966 to 1971. [1] [3] Her tenure spanned a turbulent time in American history,including student protests over the Cambodian Civil War and the Kent State shootings. [4]
In 1970,Rose joined the White House staff as a volunteer during her summer vacation,assisting with correspondence for First Lady Pat Nixon. [1] [2] [4] This initial role led to her permanent appointment at the White House in 1971. [5] In 1973,she was promoted to director of scheduling for the First Lady. [2] [3] She worked as Pat Nixon's appointment secretary during the Watergate scandal. [5]
Rose retained this role during the transition to the presidency of Gerald Ford,serving as director of scheduling for First Lady Betty Ford from 1974 to 1977. [1] [2] [3] During this time,she worked Ford's public health campaign following her breast cancer diagnosis and substance dependency. [4] [5]
From 1977 to 1981,Rose worked at the U.S. Department of Justice. [1] She served as special assistant to the U.S. Assistant Attorney General of the Office For Improvements in the Administration of Justice. [6] In 1980,she was on the staff of the Assistant Attorney General for Administration. [6] She was also a special assistant to the Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Justice Management Division. [1] [3]
Chief of staff to First Lady Barbara Bush
In 1981,Rose became Chief of Staff to Barbara Bush,then Second Lady of the United States. [4] She continued in this role when Bush became First Lady in 1989 and served until the end of the administration in 1993. [1] [2] [3]
During the George H. W. Bush 1988 presidential campaign,Rose played a role on Barbara Bush's team,managing schedules and events. [4] Following Bush's election,she was appointed chief of staff to the First Lady,also serving as a deputy assistant to the president. [4] [5] [7] Her responsibilities included managing Mrs. Bush's East Wing staff,coordinating public events,and acting as a liaison for projects such as the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy,which she helped establish. [1] [2] [4] Rose's responsibilities paralleled those of the president's staff,excluding foreign policy and legislative development. [7]
Rose managed an office that included roles such as press secretary,event coordinator,and correspondence director. [7] In 1990,Rose coordinated Barbara Bush's trips,including visits to Europe and the Middle East in November. [7] She was also involved in organizing Barbara Bush's participation in the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro,Brazil,in June 1992. [7] Rose designed the bookplate for Barbara Bush's publication, Millie's Book ,which highlighted the First Family's dog,Millie,and included a dedication to Rose and two others. [5]
Rose's management style,described in a Washington Post article as direct and detail-oriented. [4] She worked long hours and mediated between Barbara Bush and external stakeholders,ensuring that decisions aligned with the First Lady's goals. [4]
