Governor-elect Matt Meyer Names Three to Key Leadership Positions

Governor-elect Matt Meyer today announced three senior appointments who will lead key roles in his incoming administration. Vanessa Phillips has been named Chief of Staff, Wilson Davis will serve as Chief Legal Counsel, and Evelyn Brady will lead as Transition Director.

Vanessa S. Phillips, Chief of Staff: Vanessa S. Phillips, Esquire, currently serves as New Castle County’s Chief Administrative Officer, where she oversees the daily operations of Delaware’s largest county. A former Washington, D.C., prosecutor, Vanessa joined the Meyer administration in 2017 after serving as Deputy Secretary for the Delaware Department of Labor, where she spearheaded initiatives in human resources, equal employment, and organizational management. Vanessa has also held leadership roles at the Delaware Department of Transportation, including Director of Human Resources.

A graduate of the University of Delaware and the University of Maryland School of Law, Vanessa earned her MBA from Wilmington University in 2016. Beyond her professional roles, Vanessa is deeply involved in community service, serving as Chairwoman of the Legislative Committee for Jack & Jill of America, Inc.’s New Castle County Chapter and Chairwoman of the Board Development Committee for the Girl Scouts of Chesapeake Bay. She is a member of the Middletown Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and has served as an Adjunct Associate Professor at Delaware State University.

Wilson B. Davis, Chief Legal Counsel: Wil, a proud lifelong Delawarean, was raised in Old New Castle. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from the University of Delaware and a law degree from Temple University. Following law school, Wil clerked for the Honorable Richard R. Cooch in the Delaware Superior Court, then went on to build a diverse legal career in public service, focused primarily on litigation, serving as an Assistant County Attorney with the New Castle County Office of Law and as a Deputy Attorney General in the Delaware Department of Justice. In 2019, Wil was appointed by Governor-elect Meyer as the County Attorney for New Castle County. In this role, he serves as chief legal counsel to the County Executive and County Council, overseeing a team of attorneys and paralegals who manage County litigation and provide comprehensive legal services to all County departments, offices, divisions, boards, and commissions.

Evelyn Waters Brady, Transition Director: A former public school teacher, Evelyn began her civic journey with Network Delaware and the Delaware Voting Rights Coalition and has since remained politically active as a dedicated advocate for voting rights and reproductive health. She currently serves on the Delaware Democratic Party’s 12th Representative District Committee, where she educates voters on key issues and candidates. 

Evelyn serves on the Boards of Directors for Action for Delaware’s Children, Planned Parenthood of Delaware, and Serviam Girls Academy. She mentors school children through Connecting Generations and has co-chaired the Governor’s School Mentoring and Literacy Task Force. A member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, Zeta Omega Chapter, and an Associate member of the New Castle County Chapter of Jack & Jill of America, Incorporated, Evelyn is also President of Creative Hearts for the Arts, a chapter of The Society, Incorporated, which supports arts initiatives for underserved communities. She holds degrees from Dartmouth College and Lesley University and is a graduate of the Metropolitan Wilmington Urban League’s Gilliam Fellowship Program. 

“We will build a state government that listens to residents, acts with integrity and gets results,” Governor-elect Meyer continued. “With Vanessa, Wil and Evelyn on board, we will deliver for Delawareans with efficiency on Day One.”

“We are a team that will get things done. We will build a state government that listens to residents, acts with integrity and gets results.” Governor-elect Meyer said. “With Vanessa, Wil and Evelyn on board, we will deliver for Delawareans with efficiency on Day One.”