Department of State
The Secretary of State oversees an extremely diverse department with responsibilities in virtually every aspect of state government: promoting Delaware’s economy and fostering economic development; preserving Delaware’s heritage and showcasing the state’s history; supporting the arts and culture of Delaware; protecting the public’s health, safety, and economic welfare through regulation, licensing, and investigation; facilitating access to educational, governmental, and recreational information; and serving our nation’s veterans.
In addition to providing direction such as budgetary and policy guidance to the various operating divisions of the Department, the Secretary of State also serves on the Board of Pardons, the Delaware Economic and Financial Advisory Council (DEFAC) and the Cash Management Policy Board. The Secretary of State is traditionally one of the Governor’s primary advisors.
The staff in the Office of the Secretary provides financial, personnel, training and legislative services to the Department’s divisions. In addition, the office is responsible for approving notary public applications and for providing the administrative functions of the Board of Pardons.
The Department of State’s Mission is to:
- Promote Delaware’s economy and generate state revenue;
- Manage and facilitate citizen access to governmental, educational and recreational information;
- Preserve and promote Delaware history, art and culture;
- Assist and provide direct services to Delaware veterans and their families;
- Promote equal opportunity and protection for all persons;
- Provide regulatory, licensing, investigative and consumer services to protect the public’s health, safety and economic welfare; and
- Administer the State’s public and merit employment relations laws and government ethics laws.
Department Administration
View the official Delaware Department of State Organizational Chart
| Office of the Secretary of State | Title |
|---|---|
| Charuni Patibanda-Sanchez | Secretary of State |
| Kristopher Knight | Chief Deputy Secretary of State |
| Regina Mitchell | Deputy Secretary of State |
| Michelle Strauss | Director of Operations |
| Rony Baltazar-Lopez | Director of Policy & Communications |
| Ronda Ramsburg | Executive Assistant to the Secretary of State |
| Alexis Webb | Communications Assistant |
| Division Leadership | Division |
|---|---|
| Diane Crockett | Board of Pardons |
| Jessica Ball | Division of the Arts |
| Kristopher Knight | Division of Corporations |
| Suzanne Savery | Division of Historical & Cultural Affairs |
| Romona Fullman | Division of Human and Civil Rights |
| Annie Norman | Division of Libraries |
| Shauna Slaughter | Division of Professional Regulation |
| Ruth Ann Price | Division of the Public Advocate |
| C.J. Bell | Division of Small Business |
| Beth Pomper | Export Delaware |
| Dana Rohrbough | Government Information Center |
| Deborah Murray-Sheppard | Merit Employment Relations Board Public Employment Relations Board |
| Stephen Marz | Delaware Public Archives |
| Benjamin Warshaw | Public Integrity Commission |
| Matt Hartigan | Public Service Commission |
| Robert Glen | Office of the State Bank Commissioner |
| Miranda Mal | Office of Veterans Services |
| Jacqueline Mette | Office of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Commissioner |
| Sandy Amaker | Delaware Veterans Home |
| Regina Mitchell | Voluntary Disclosure Agreement (VDA) program |
