WILMINGTON —Committee of 100 Executive Director Elizabeth Keller has stepped down to join New Castle County Executive Marcus Henry’s staff as his director of county legislative affairs.
Keller started her new position on March 3, serving as one of the point people on the county executive’s staff to establish relationships with the New Castle County Council.
“We’re excited for Elizabeth to join the policy team. Her extensive knowledge of the state and the county will be an asset to the office,” New Castle County Executive Marcus Henry told the Delaware Business Times in an email.
The Committee of 100 has launched a search for its next executive director, and is accepting resumes on a rolling basis.
“We are incredibly grateful for Elizabeth’s years of service as she worked to advance our mission,” said Deirdre Smith, the First Vice President of the Committee of 100. “She brought a wealth of experience and passion to the role, and we are so excited to work with her in her new role.”
Keller served as the executive director of the Committee of 100 since 2022. The organization is a non-partisan, nonprofit association of Delaware business leaders that works to promote responsible economic development and address issues that affect the state’s economic health.
In her two-and-a-half years at the Committee of 100, the Milford native served as the top liaison between the business community and government officials on land use issues, transportation and education policy. She also served as a driving force behind the “Ready in 6” initiative that focuses on reducing the time it takes for companies to complete the permitting process to build and operate in the state.
Keller also served as the coordinator for several networking events for the Committee during which legislators, business leaders and other change-makers could meet and discuss policy. She also participated in several other networking events. During the 2024 election, Keller helped organize a forum for several of the candidates for New Castle County Executive.
“I’m honored to have worked for The Committee of 100 on important issues such as streamlining permitting processes and working on County legislation that assists in creating more opportunities for redevelopment,” Keller told DBT in a prepared statement. “I’m proud to have worked with our members, board and collaborated with fellow stakeholder groups and legislators on vital economic development legislation and policy issues.”
Before she was tapped to lead the Committee of 100, Keller served as the chief tourism official for the state of Delaware between 2017 and 2022, ultimately working in the office since 2010. During that time, she helped shape Delaware’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic as the short-term distance travel and staycations were in high demand throughout those years. Keller also built a marketing campaign around that phenomenon that drove hundreds of thousands of visitors to Delaware’s beaches and other locations.
Earlier in her career, Keller served as a workforce development AmeriCorps VISTA at the Delaware Economic Development Office. Over her career, she’s held roles in marketing, public relations and digital media.
