People on the Move: July 1

People on the Move is a rundown of recent hirings, promotions, appointments and other notable movements by professionals in the state. If you’re interested in submitting an entry, please contact news@delawarebusinesstimes.com

The Delaware Department of Labor (DOL) has announced Elisha Jenkins to serve as the new director of the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR).

Jenkins previously served as the Deputy Chief of Policy & Compliance in the Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health for the State of Delaware. Prior to that, she was director of the Delaware Division for the Visually Impaired.

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A graduate of Norfolk State University with a BS in Sociology, Jenkins also earned a master’s degree in Public Administration and a master’s degree in Human Resources both from Wilmington University. Along with her educational background, Jenkins brings significant management experience to the role at DOL.


Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) announced leadership changes for the agency involving the Office of the Secretary and the Division of Public Health.

Dava Newnam has been named deputy cabinet secretary for Special Populations, Strategic Planning and Innovation.

Newnam has served in various roles at DHSS for 27 years. During her tenure, she led the consolidation of business operations department-wide under the Office of the Secretary, including procurement, accounts payable, accounts receivable, grants administration and budget development and helped organize DHSS’ first employee Leadership Academy. In her previous role as director of the Division of Services for Aging and Adults with Physical Disabilities, she led more than 700 employees and was responsible for directing the state-run Delaware Hospital for the Chronically Ill in Smyrna; community-facing units serving about 20,000 vulnerable Delawareans older than 60; and the Adult Protective Services unit, which protects vulnerable adults who are at risk of abuse, neglect or financial exploitation. She will begin her new role July 1.

Carla Mitchell-Penny, human resources director for DHSS, has been named chief of staff in the Office of the Secretary. She will work in conjunction with executive team members to determine and prioritize departmental strategies and goals, ensure the cohesive movement of departmental objectives toward the mission, and streamline and standardize daily operations in the Secretary’s Office.

Application Period Open to Help Your Your Small Business Get an “EDGE”

The Delaware Division of Small Business (DSB) is helping many small business owners overcome this hurdle through its Encouraging Development, Growth and Expansion (EDGE) Program.

Dr. Rick Hong, who has served in various leadership roles at the Division of Public Health (DPH) during the past 15 years, has been named acting director of the Division of Public Health. Dr. Hong, who served during much of the COVID-19 pandemic as Medical Director at DPH, is currently serving as medical director for the Emergency Medical Services and Preparedness Section at DPH.

Jamie Mack, who has served in various positions at DPH during his 18 years with the agency, has been named acting deputy director. After stints in the Healthy Homes and Lead Poisoning Prevention and Community Environmental Health programs, Mack joined the Director’s Office as the DPH Policy Lead in 2015. He completed his Master’s Degree in Public Administration while working as the Division’s Liaison with the General Assembly, supporting policy efforts across a wide range of public health priorities.

Steven Blessing, who has served as chief of the Emergency Medical Services and Preparedness Branch of DPH for 10 years, has been named acting deputy director in charge of the State Health Operations Center (SHOC). SHOC oversees the COVID-19 response in Delaware and other public health emergencies. Blessing has served in other DPH leadership roles for the past 28 years, including Emergency Medical Services Director, Paramedic Administrator and Executive Assistant to the Director of Public Health.


The Delaware Institute for the Arts in Education (DiAE) has announced A.T. Moffet DiAE’s executive director.

A.T. Moffet | PHOTO COURTESY OF DIAE

Moffet is the recipient of a 2020 Plant Life in the City Fellowship and a 2017 Individual Artist Fellowship in Choreography from the Delaware Division of the Arts. In addition to university concerts and residencies, her choreography has been presented at the Delaware Contemporary, The Baby Grand, and the DuPont Environmental Education Center as well as Conduit (OR), Tek Box Theater (MN), Baxter Theatre (Cape Town, SA), and the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls (Myereton, SA).

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She serves as an educational consultant for the Grand Opera House, dance panelist for the National Endowment for the Arts, and secretary for the Delaware Dance Education Organization. Her writing is published in the Journal of Dance Education, Research in Dance Education, and Undergraduate Research in Dance.


Amtrak announced the promotions of Roger Harris to president and Gerhard Williams to executive vice president, Service Delivery & Operations.

“Amtrak has entered an exciting new era of growth and development, with more opportunities than ever before,” Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner said in a statement. “The appointments of Roger to President and [Gerhard] to Executive Vice President of Service Delivery & Operations by our Board will help the company accelerate our progress in recovering, growing and transforming the business.”

As President, Harris will directly report to Gardner and lead the coordination of the service delivery and operations, marketing, customer service, network planning, real estate, and accessibility functions of the company. Roger and his team will be dedicated to improving the delivery of Amtrak’s services and the experience it provides its customers and partners, while ensuring the integration of critical functions that market, sell, plan, design, and deliver its services to our current and future customers.


Executive Director Mark Fields will be retiring in September after nearly sixteen years of leadership at The Grand. Fields will stay in place for the intervening three months to help the organization prepare for this significant transition.

Executive Director Mark Fields | PHOTO COURTESY OF THE GRAND OPERA HOUSE

“Mark Fields was certainly the right guy at the right time for The Grand,” DiSabatino said in a statement. “During his entire tenure he showcased not only The Grand, but the relevancy of the arts in Delaware.  Carrying us through the most difficult time in our history, he’ll be able to look back fondly that he left The Grand as an amazing beacon of hope, joy and community.  We are wishing him all the best in retirement.”

Fields first came to The Grand in the fall of 2006, hired by then Interim Executive Director Stephen Bailey as a marketing consultant. He was appointed as managing director in December of that year, and then, in an unconventional move, Fields and Bailey switched titles in December 2014, with Fields becoming executive director and Bailey managing director focused on programming. That switch was prompted by The Grand’s assumption of operation for The Playhouse on Rodney Square, which added a third venue to the programming responsibilities for the non-profit performing arts institution.

Keith S. Kahn | PHOTO COURTESY OF FAW CASSON

Faw Casson, an accounting and business consultation firm, announced Keith S. Kahn, CPA, CFE has been admitted as partner with the firm.

Keith’s primary focus areas are audits and attestation services for nonprofits, privately held corporations and employee benefit plans. Additionally, he enjoys crafting tax planning and business strategies for clients. Keith also helps lead Faw Casson’s talent management and development program. Prior to his career in public accounting, Keith was a tax compliance officer (tax auditor) with the Internal Revenue Service.  Additionally, he serves on the Firm’s Accounting and Auditing technical committee, which oversees the delivery of those services to clients and the professional development of firm personnel.


Alex Razzook | PHOTO COURTESY OF GOLO

GOLO LLC, a wellness solutions company, announced Alex Razzook will serve as the company’s first chief growth officer (CGO), tasked with engineering profitable growth strategies across GOLO’s customer acquisition and retention channels. He also supports GOLO’s analytics efforts, empowering teams to execute data-driven decision-making strategies.

Scott Bradley Schwartz | PHOTO COURTESY OF GOLO

Scott Bradley Schwartz joins GOLO’s legal team as Corporate Counsel. He brings more than 25 years of legal practice experience to GOLO, serving as in-house counsel for much of that time. Before joining GOLO, he was the general counsel at a leading footwear company for nine years. He also served as Senior Attorney at Intel, where his work included managing the INTEL INSIDE and PENTIUM trademarks. Scott was previously a shareholder at Cozen O’Connor, representing a wide range of clients in the firm’s intellectual property practice.

“We are thrilled to have Alex and Scott take on these new roles at a moment where we find ourselves poised for continued growth,” Jennifer Brooks, President, GOLO LLC, said. “I look forward to working closely with both of them as they take on these important assignments.”


Marlette Holdings, Inc., a financial technology company operating the Best Egg financial platform, announced that Graham Kennedy has joined the team as managing director, head of People and Workplaces. He will be responsible for overseeing the company’s human resources organization and people strategy, focusing on all aspects of HR, including talent strategies, employee experience, performance management, leadership development, and workforce digital and physical environments.

Kennedy joins with two decades of experience in financial services with Fidelity Investments. His broad range of knowledge as an executive in technology, operations, and strategy gives him a unique perspective to lead the growth of a modern HR and Facilities organization. He is passionate about developing the workplace of the future, shaping employer brand perceptions, and building a culture of innovation and inclusion. He was named a Digital Workplace Leader of the Year by Digital Workplace Group in 2020 and 2021.


ChristianaCare has announced new leadership changes:

Michelle Collins, DNP, APRN, CNS, ACNS-BC, NPD-BC, NEA-BC, LSSBB, has been appointed vice president, Nursing Excellence & Magnet Designation. She provides leadership in the strategy, development and implementation of the nursing strategic plan. She was previously director, Nursing Professional Excellence/Magnet Recognition.

Don DiGiovanni has been appointed vice president of Human Resources (HR) Shared Services. DiGiovanni is responsible for the Shared Services Technology, Caregiver Onboarding, HR Transactions and Caregiver Service Center teams. He previously was corporate director of Information Services leading the ServiceNow strategy to deploy the platform across the organization.

Kristen C. Foulk, MSN, MS, RN, PCCN-K, NE-BC, has been appointed vice president of Patient Care Services, Neurosciences, Surgical Services, Trauma Program, Hemodialysis and Vascular Access/Infusion Services at ChristianaCare’s Newark Campus. She provides overall organizational leadership for clinical operations, performance improvement and financial performance. She previously served as interim vice president of the department.

Jason Funyak has been named vice president, Support Services. He oversees Environmental Services, Patient Escort, Food and Nutrition Services and Textile Services. He previously served as director of Environmental Services and Patient Escort at ChristianaCare.

Susan Mascioli, MS, BSN, RN, NEA-BC, CPHQ, LSSBB, has been named vice president, Nursing Quality and Safety. She provides leadership and strategic direction for quality and patient safety within the Department of Nursing and systemwide to support a culture of safety and improved outcomes. She previously served as director of Nursing Quality and Safety in the Department of Nursing.

Sean Nolan, MBA/MHA, has been appointed vice president, Emergency Services Operations. He provides operational leadership for the emergency departments and focuses on developing, defining, planning and managing services that enable the efficient operations of Emergency Services. He previously served as Operations Officer for ChristianaCare’s Newark Campus.

Jacqueline Ortiz, M. Phil., has been appointed vice president for Heath Equity and Cultural Competence. She is responsible for implementing a comprehensive health equity strategy aligned with overall organizational goals. She previously served as director for Health Equity and Cultural Competence at ChristianaCare.

Allen D. Smith, MSN, MSM, RN, CCNS-BC, has joined ChristianaCare as vice president, Patient Care Services, Heart & Vascular Services. He provides overall organizational leadership for clinical operations, performance improvement and financial performance for the heart and vascular patient care units along with interventional services, the Vascular Access Team and Ambulatory Infusion Centers for both Newark and the Wilmington campuses. Smith previously served as a chief nursing officer in a hospital/ambulatory clinic setting serving the Native American population at Pine Ridge Reservation, South Dakota.

Richard Sokolov | PHOTO COURTESY OF BEEBE

The Board of the Beebe Medical Foundation has recently approved Richard Sokolov as a new member of the Board of Directors.

Sokolov is currently vice chairman and a member of the Board of Directors of Simon Property Group (NYSE). He previously served as president and chief operating officer for Simon from 1996 until February 2019. Prior to that he served as CEO, president and member of the Board of Directors at DeBartolo Realty Corporation, the publicly traded successor to the DeBartolo Family real estate business until it merged with Simon Property Group in 1996.


Delaware Art Museum announced Margaretta Frederick recently retired from her role as the Annette Woolard-Provine curator. She has transitioned to curator emerita to work on independent research projects. Sophie Lynford has been appointed the incoming Annette Woolard-Provine curator of the Bancroft Collection, beginning her work with DelArt’s famed Pre-Raphaelite collection in August. Heather Campbell Coyle will rotate out of the chief curator role to begin dedicated research on the Museum’s illustration collection, and Margaret Winslow will lead the department as chief curator and curator of Contemporary Art.

Frederick’s career at the Delaware Art Museum has been marked by several significant accomplishments. Dr. Frederick secured the endowment for the position of Annette Woolard-Provine Curator of the Bancroft Collection, ensuring long-term support for the pivotal role. She attracted funding for the Amy P. Goldman Fellowship in Pre-Raphaelite Studies, a joint program with the University of Delaware Library. Dr. Frederick co-managed the move of DelArt’s entire collections database to an online, publicly searchable platform, making them globally accessible.

Lynford was previously the Rousseau Curatorial Fellow in European Art at the Harvard Art Museums. She is a specialist in British and American art of the nineteenth century and an expert on the Pre-Raphaelite movement and has published and lectured widely on the subject. In September, Princeton University Press will publish her book, “Painting Dissent: Art, Ethics, and the American Pre-Raphaelites,” which examines the Pre-Raphaelite movement in the United States and its passionate commitment to abolition and radical reform.

Coyle’s leadership as chief curator led to the redesign of DelArt’s main-floor permanent galleries, which reopened in 2021 with an expanded focus on the stories of women and people of color. During her time as Chief Curator, she organized exhibitions including “The Montgomery Bus Boycott: Drawings by Harvey Dinnerstein and Burton Silverman,” “No Jury, No Prizes: The Society of Independent Artists,” and “An American Journey: The Art of John Sloan,” for which she edited the exhibition catalogue.

As Chief Curator, Winslow will lead a department of nine while managing several upcoming projects aligned with the Museum’s strategic plan. This fall, Winslow pilots a new program to train workers to conserve public works of art throughout the city of Wilmington. Winslow is researching art and cultural programs funded by the 1973 Federal Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA) in preparation for a 2026 exhibition that will highlight CETA’s impact on artists in Delaware and nationally.

Mike Levy | PHOTO COURTESY OF RIVERSEDGE ADVISORS

RiversEdge Advisors, a financial planning firm specializing in creating financial independence for business owners, individuals, and families, named Michael Levy, director of Financial Planning, partner. Michael has been with the company for a little over 2 years. Mike started his career with RiversEdge as and Associate Financial Planner. His hard work and dedication has made this new title very well deserving.


Chip Rossi | PHOTO COURTESY OF DSU

Delaware State University’s Board of Trustees welcomed Chip Rossi as its newest member.

Rossi is the Global Compliance & Operational Risk (GCOR) Operations executive at Bank of America, one of the world’s leading financial services companies. In this role, he leads the oversight and execution of compliance operations for the GCOR organization.

Rossi also represents the bank as the Delaware Market president, working to connect businesses, families and individuals to Bank of America’s banking and investment teams. He also leads the effort to direct the bank’s resources in the state to address local priorities and help build strong communities.

Larry M. Preston | PHOTO COURTESY OF DBF

Davis, Bowen & Friedel, Inc. (DBF), an architectural, engineering, and surveying firm, welcomed two new employees, Larry M. Preston and Kyle T. Wolfert. 

With over thirty years of experience as an architectural designer, Preston joins Milford’s growing architectural department, playing an essential supporting role in the production of construction documents and specifications. Mr. Preston will apply his expertise in CAD design to effectively bring DBF’s clients’ projects to life. He will be working on a broad range of facilities through the commercial, residential, cultural, healthcare, military, and municipal industries.

Kyle Wolfert | PHOTO COURTESY OF DBF

Wolfert joins the firm’s civil engineering department as a CAD Technician. He received his Computer-Aided Design & Drafting Certificate from Hartford Community College. Wolfert is supporting the civil engineering department with the design, drafting, and development of construction drawings. He is currently working on several residential and commercial projects throughout Delaware including Chaselynd and Hatteras Development and the new Millsboro Professional Center.


Newark AM Rotary Club recognized Jason Lawhorn as the Robin Broomall Rotarian of the Year award.

At the annual awards ceremony, held June 23, 2022, the membership of the Club recognized our distinguished member, Jason, for his dedication to our club and community. This past fall Newark Morning Rotary executed an amazing Flags for Hero Display at the Newark Reservoir.  It took hundreds of volunteer hours, but the majestic display of over 500 flags flying in honor of the heroes in each of our lives, especially our military heroes and veterans, was not only impressive to see, but invoked an array of feelings for anyone who drove by or walked through. 

Jason Lawhorn | PHOTO COURTESY OF NEWARK AM ROTARY CLUB

In addition to being a beautiful site it raised over $20,000 to help a variety of local community initiatives.  The display and money raised would not have been possible without the leadership and dedication of Jason Lawhorn.  Jason had a vision to expand the Flags for Hero program to something truly spectacular and he certainly succeeded.  Jason’s dedication to the community and to Rotary truly embodies the service before self, motto of Rotary.

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