Personnel File, Sept. 25, 2025

Incyte announced  that Dave Gardner has been appointed Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer. Incyte is based near Wilmington.

Gardner will serve as a  member of the Executive Leadership Team and will be responsible for the Company’s strategy and business development.

Gardner most recently served as Partner on the Therapeutics Team at Rock Springs Capital Management, leading strategy across oncology, neurology, immunology and rare diseases. Before that,  Gardner spent a decade at BlackRock as Vice President.

After nine years as a  member of the Incyte leadership team, Vijay Iyengar, M.D., executive vice president and head of Global Medical Affairs and Product and Partnership Strategy, will be retiring from Incyte and continue to provide support to Gardner through the end of the year.

Delaware Hospice names CEO

The Board of Trustees of Delaware Hospice, Newark, appointed Charles McDonough  as the organization’s next CEO,  succeeding Susan D. Lloyd , who is retiring after 38 years with the organization.

McDonough brings more than 15 years of executive leadership in hospice, palliative, and home health care. He has led multi-site organizations, managed large teams, and overseen complex operations.

McDonough will join Delaware Hospice on September 29.

Meyer nominates Young for  health secretary post

 Gov. Matt Meyer announced the nomination of Christen Linke Young to serve as the next Secretary of the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS).

 Young will succeed Secretary Josette Manning, who will depart on Oct.  1 to become State Director for U.S. Senator Chris Coons.

Young has previously served as Deputy Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council and Deputy Assistant to the President for Health and Veterans, where she led the Administration’s health policy team.

She  oversaw implementation of the drug pricing provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act, helped drive   Affordable Care Act enrollment, and coordinated national strategies to address the overdose epidemic, mental health, and maternal health crises.

DHSS is one of the state’s largest departments and faces challenges that include federal budget cuts and controversial Trump Administration  advisories on vaccinations.

Stone stepping down as Trade Center Director

Carla Stone is stepping down as the President of World Trade Center Delaware.

Her departure becomes effective on Dec. 31 and will be  available to work with new leadership until June 30.

Stone headed the trade center since 2016 and guided the organization through the COVID-19 pandemic and most recently the tariffs from the Trump Administration.

Under Stone, the trade center launched an initiative to spur trade in Africa and published a trade publication.

Phillips wins First Founder honor

Delaware Community Foundation named Louisa Phillips the recipient of the 2025 First Founder Award through its Fund for Women (FFW) giving circle.

The First Founder Award is presented annually to a FFW member who has a record of  generosity, demonstrates civic and or charitable responsibility and whose leadership has encouraged others in philanthropic endeavors throughout the Delaware community.

 Phillips will receive the award at the FFW First Founders Breakfast on Oct. 15. Registration is required.

 Phillips retired in 2017 as Senior Director of Operations for the Cardiovascular Service Line at Bayhealth Medical Center, where she began her career decades earlier as a “tray girl” in the dietary department of Kent General Hospital. Over the years, she held leadership roles in clinical care, human resources, and operations across both nonprofit and for-profit healthcare. 

General surgeon Elliott joins Bayheatlh

Bayhealth welcomed  general  surgeon Patrick Elliott. He joins surgeons in Dover.

He specializes in general and acute care surgery for those who are critically ill or injured.

Dr. Elliott commonly performs hernia repairs, gallbladder surgery and emergency abdominal procedures.

 A U.S. Army veteran, Elliott joins the central and southern Delaware.

 Elliott served as   a private practice general and trauma surgeon with Crozer Chester Medical Center. He also worked as an on-call trauma surgeon at Aria-Jefferson Health Torresdale Hospital in Philadelphia, as president of Brinton Lake Ambulatory Surgery Center in Glen Mills, PA and as surgery site director and chief of surgery at Taylor Hospital in Ridley Park, PA.

 Culley joins Young Conaway

The law firm of Young Conaway, Wilmington,  announced that  Tania M. Culley  joined the firm as the inaugural Pro Bono Manager.  

Culley recently retired from the Office of the Child Advocate (OCA), having been appointed as Delaware’s first Child Advocate in 1999.  During her 26 years  at the OCA,  Culley advocated for the safety and well-being of children. She was responsible for drafting legislation and developing training programs which permitted attorney volunteers to join members of the agency in representing abused and neglected children in Delaware’s legal system.

She also served as Executive Director of the Child Protection Accountability Commission (CPAC) in Delaware. The commission is tasked with monitoring child protection systems and making recommendations for improvements.

She worked as a Deputy Attorney General representing the Delaware Division of Family Services before serving as Child Advocate.