Personnel File: Sept. 18, 2025

 Joanna Barnekov-Staib  was named  Statewide Coordinator of the new Office of Workforce Development. Established by Delaware Governor Matt Meyer’s Executive Order 10, the Office of Workforce Development will serve as a centralized, statewide office to ensure that state and federal resources are efficiently and strategically leveraged to ensure access to education, career counseling, job training, and placement services for Delawareans. 

Barnekov-Staib has more than 30 years of experience in workforce development and operations. She has served as the Executive Director of the Delaware Workforce Development Board for the past five years where she has developed partnerships with employers, educators and the community to strengthen the workforce.

Brittingham named Chancery Magistrate

Caroline Brittingham joined the Court of  Chancery as Magistrate in Chancery. Although Magistrate Brittingham plans to handle cases throughout the State of Delaware, Her chambers will be located in the Court of Chancery Courthouse in Georgetown.

Brittingham began her career in 2013 and since that time has prosecuted a wide range of cases for the Department of Justice throughout the State of Delaware in Superior Court, Court of Common Pleas, Family Court, and the Justice of the Peace Court.   Brittingham served as Head of the Misdemeanor Trial Unit in Sussex County before joining the Human Trafficking Unit at the time of its inception.

Brittingham occupies one of two newly funded Magistrate in Chancery positions designed to aid the court in its increasing workload.

Eden joins Chesapeake Utilities board

Chesapeake Utilities Corporation, Dover announced that Lisa Eden was appointed to serve as a member of the company's Board of Directors.

Eden joins the board  following two decades at  TXMN Energy.

During her career at  TXNM Energy, the parent company of Public Service Company of New Mexico and also  Texas-New Mexico Power Company, she held several key executive positions including vice president and treasurer, vice president of human resources, and vice president and chief information office.r

WSFS announces Bryn Mawr Trust executive appointments

WSFS Financial Corporation Wilmington,, the parent company of Bryn Mawr Trust, announced   leadership appointments within its wealth management division.

Michael Mendelson  joined Bryn Mawr Trust as Senior Vice President, Chief Operating Officer. Mendelson brings more than 20 years of experience at J.P. Morgan Chase, where he held senior leadership roles across wealth and .

Bryn Mawr Trust also announced the promotion of Harrison Gelber to Senior Vice President, Director of Private Banking and Trust Advisory Services.

Additionally, Mark Bradford has been named Senior Vice President, Director of Wealth Planning. He has more than 30 years of experience—including the last seven at Bryn Mawr Trust

Jackie Blue has been promoted Senior Vice President, Chief Operating Officer of Bryn Mawr Trust Advisors, where she will lead the portfolio solutions team, client support, and retirement plan services teams.  Blue has spent over 30 years in banking, investment banking, and wealth management.

Harrison named Nemours division chief

Nemours Children’s Health today announced Douglas J. Harrison,  Division Chief of Hematology/Oncology/Transplant and Cellular Therapy, Department of Pediatrics in Delaware Valley. .A, nationally renowned oncologist, Dr. Harrison has also been named the Lisa Dean Moseley Foundation Presidential Endowed Chair.

Harrison will oversee the delivery of hematology/oncology services and shape the strategic direction of the Lisa Dean Moseley Foundation Institute for Cancer and Blood Disorders.

Harrison is recognized for his expertise in bone and soft tissue sarcomas with a particular focus on childhood and adolescent rhabdomyosarcoma. He previously served as Center Medical Director and Professor of the Department of Pediatrics Patient Care at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas.

Harrison will lead the team of hematology/oncology physicians and staff at the Moseley Foundation Institute. The first phase of the Moseley Foundation Institute opened in April and features a  24-bed inpatient facility. The second phase will feature a 19,000-square-foot outpatient Day Hospital and Infusion Center expected to open in December..

Perdue announces  3 executive appointments

Perdue Farms announced the appointments of three  executives to its senior leadership team: Kim Poe as Senior Vice President, Strategy & Corporate Development; Sal Gala as Senior Vice President, Procurement; and Brice Westring as Senior Vice President, Research & Development (R&D). Perdue is based in Salisbury and has processing sites in Delaware.

Poe will lead Perdue Farms’ enterprise growth strategy and guide long-term plnning.  She brings more than 20 years of leadership in strategy, operations, and transformation across consumer-packaged goods, retail, and manufacturing. Most recently, she served as Vice President of Business Excellence and Global PMO at Kidde Globa.

Gala will oversee Perdue Farms’ procurement organization, with a focus on building   supplier partnerships, improving processes, and driving long-term value across the company’s supply chain. He has held senior procurement and supply chain leadership roles at McCormick, Mars, and Goodyear, managing sourcing and operations on a global scale.

Westring will lead Perdue Farms’ R&D organization.  He joins from Mondelez International, where he served as Vice President of R&D, North America, responsible for more than $9 billion in sales.

Wu named AARP associate director 

Bonnie Wu was named  Associate State Director for Advocacy for AARP.

AARP Delaware has 192,000 members in Delaware.

Wu joins AARP from the Brandywine SPCA where she held the role of Chief of Staff.

 Prior to that role, she held numerous key leadership positions at the Office of Senator Tom Carper. Most recently, she was Regional Director for the Senator.

Trauma surgeon joins Bayhealth

Bayhealth welcomed  fellowship-trained orthopedic trauma surgeon and director of orthopedic trauma Marek Denisiuk, DO.

In addition to trauma work at Bayhealth Hospital, Kent Campus, Dr. Denisiuk joins the Bayhealth Orthopedics, Dover practice.

Before  joining Bayhealth,  Denisiuk completed an orthopedic trauma fellowship and provided care at the Georgia Orthopedic Trauma Institute at Atrium Health in Macon, GA.   

Rehoboth names communications director

The City of Rehoboth Beach has hired Brooke Thaler as the new communications manager following the retirement of Lynne Coan, who held the position since 2021.

Thaler comes to the city from Danbury, CT, where she has served as the journalism/yearbook teacher and coordinator of alumni relations at the Wooster School since 2016. In this role, she expanded  communications functions at the school.  She has worked in the communications field for over 25 years in freelance writing, public relations, and news reporting roles.

Brooke grew up in Wilmington and spent summers visiting her parents’ house in Rehoboth Beach.