About the Agency

Mr. Chaney was appointed to the Commission on March 9, 2022, for a seven-year term, ending in 2029. He was elected Vice-Chair of Personnel in January 2023 and served in that role until August of 2024, when he was elected Chairperson.

A graduate of Woodbridge High School and the University of Delaware, Mr. Chaney also attended The Delaware Law School and graduate school at UD.

Mr. Chaney was commissioned as an Infantry Officer in the United States Army, serving twenty-one years, during which he deployed multiple times. Among other assignments, Mr. Chaney was Deputy Ground Component Commander for Operation Vigilant Warrior in Southeast Asia and the J3, Director of Operations for US Forces Haiti. In his final assignment, as Chief of the Combat Maneuver Division on the Army Staff, he managed Army procurement program funding for all Infantry, Armor, Engineer, Soldier Systems and Combat ID programs, totaling over four billion dollars annually. His military awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit and the Joint Meritorious Service Medal. Mr. Chaney is one of only a few Officers to ever be awarded the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Identification Badge, and also has the Expert Infantryman’s Badge, Airborne Badge and the Army Staff Badge. He was inducted into the Order of Saint Maurice, the US Army Infantry’s Honor Society.

After retirement, Mr. Chaney worked in the Defense Industry; first with SYColeman, Inc, where he became Vice President of Programs, and then with ESP, LLC, where he was Director of Operations for the National Capital Region.

In 2015, Mr. Chaney was asked to assume responsibilities as the Director of Ceremonies for the Military District of Washington, where he planned, coordinated and managed engagement events with national strategic importance. He advised the President, Vice President, Secretary of State, Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs; coordinated directly with Heads of State and Heads of Government throughout the world and provided direct oversight of ceremonial support to the 58th Presidential Inauguration. Civilian awards include the Meritorious Service Award (twice) and the Superior Service Award.

Mr. Chaney is a past member of the Randolph Macon Woman’s College Board of Advisors and the Azalea Charities Board of Directors (Co-chair of the Aid for Wounded Warriors Committee). He served on the ESP, LLC Board of Directors, the R&M Buses Inc. Board of Directors, and Co-chaired the URS Coleman Board of Directors. He also was a member of the Liberty County (GA) School Board. He continues to serve his community on his neighborhood Advisory Committee and Transition Committee (Chair) and Architectural Review Committee (Chair).

He currently is a member of the Rehoboth Beach Country Club’s Long Range Planning Committee.

Dr. Harrington was confirmed as a Commissioner on September 12, 2023, for a seven- year term to end on September 8, 2030. She was elected Vice-President of Personnel in August 2024.

Dr. Harrington earned her undergraduate degree in Molecular Biology from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, and her doctoral degree in Neuroscience from Stanford University in Stanford, California.

After completing her education, Dr. Harrington worked for the University of California, Santa Cruz and Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia. For the past 23 years, Dr. Harrington has worked at Delaware State University. She began her employment with the University in 2001, as an Assistant Professor of Biotechnology and is currently the Associate Vice President for Research. Dr. Harrington has served as a grant administrator (or co-administrator) over numerous federal grant programs with funding totaling over $69 million. Sharing her grant-writing expertise with others, Dr. Harrington has been a grant writing coach for the Science & Technology Policy Institute, the National Research Mentoring Network and the Neuroscience Scholars Program of the Society for Neuroscience.

In addition to the foregoing, Dr. Harrington has received numerous professional honors including: Faculty Awards for Excellence in Research and Excellence in Mentoring from Delaware State University; the Distinguished Alumna award, School of Science, Purdue University; and the Faculty Award for Excellence in Service from Delaware State University. Over the course of her career, Dr. Harrington has authored 48 peer-reviewed articles.

Outside of her professional accomplishments, Dr. Harrington enjoys horseback riding. Dr. Harrington resides in Camden, Delaware (Kent County) with her husband, Colin Bonini.

Dr. Bunting was appointed to the Commission on June 20, 2024, for a seven-year term, ending in 2031. She was elected Vice-Chair of Administration in August 2024.

Dr. Bunting served as Delaware’s Secretary of Education from January 2017 through the end of 2021. Prior to leading the Department of Education’s work, she served as Indian River School District’s superintendent from July 2006 through January 2017. She earned her B.S. in psychology and elementary education from The American University (1971), a Master’s in Education from Salisbury University (1981), and a Doctorate in Education Leadership from the University of Delaware (1997). Prior to her selection as IRSD’s chief, she had been a middle school language arts teacher, an elementary gifted/talented teacher, IRSD’s Supervisor of Elementary Instruction, and the district’s K-12 Director of Instruction. Peers selected her as Indian River’s Teacher of the Year in 1984.

An experienced national conference presenter, Dr. Bunting co-created IRSD’s Leadership Institute and Administrative Development Program, both of which led to her renown in leadership development. Widely recognized for her instructional and curricular expertise, Dr. Bunting served as the 2009-2010 president of the Delaware Chief School Officers Association, was named Delaware Superintendent of the Year in 2011-2012, and was subsequently selected as one of four finalists for 2012’s National Superintendent of the Year. She is currently teaching for Wilmington University, coaching principals, and working with Delaware Technical Community College’s Center for Teaching Excellence. Additionally, Dr. Bunting sits on the Beebe Healthcare Center’s Board of Directors, is president of the Primeros Pasos Early Learning Center’s Board, and serves as Selbyville Historical Society’s vice-president.

Judge Del Pesco was appointed to the Commission on May 16, 2025, for a seven-year term, ending in 2032.

Judge Del Pesco’s legal career began in 1975 when she was one of the six women admitted to the bar out of a class of 62. She began her career in the general practice of Schnee & Castle, which later merged with the firm then known as Prickett, Jones, Eliott, Kristol & Schnee.

In 1987 she was the first woman to serve as President of the Delaware State Bar Association. The next year she was the first woman appointed to the Delaware Superior Court. She served on that court until 2008. From 2008-2012 she served as the Public Member on the National Board of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. In 2009 she took a position with the Department of Health and Social Services as the Director of the Division of Long Term Care Residents Protection. She retired from that position at the end of 2012. During and after her work with DHSS she was deeply involved in writing and enacting into law the Durable Personal Power of Attorney statute and the Delaware Medical Order for Scope of Treatment (DMOST).

In 2018 Susan was part of the team that secured the 21st Amendment to the Delaware Constitution which provides: Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged on account of race, color, national origin, or sex.

In 1996 Susan was the first recipient of the newly-created Women’s Leadership Award of the Delaware State Bar Association. And in 2009 She was awarded the Bar Association ‘s First State Distinguished Service Award. She was inducted into the Delaware Women’s Hall of Fame in 2011. In 2020 She received the Delaware ACLU’s Kandler Award, given annually to a Delawarean who “represents the highest commitment to ensuring the Civil Rights and liberties of all Delawareans.”

She and husband Tom celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in August 2025. They have two sons, Joseph, a curator of contemporary art and Nicholas, a psychotherapist. Both are married, and Nicholas has a son.

MG Berry (Ret.) was appointed to the Commission on June 10, 2026, for a seven-year term, ending in 2033.

General Berry’s military career began in September 1988 when he enlisted in the Delaware Army National Guard under the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps Simultaneous Membership Program. General Berry received his commission through the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from University of Delaware in 1989. He is a 1990 Delaware State Police Academy Graduate, obtaining his Law Enforcement Certification. He also is a 2008 graduate of the United States Army War College, receiving his Masters in Strategic Studies.

While serving in the Delaware Army National Guard, Major General Berry has served in numerous command positions including: 262nd Heavy Equipment Maintenance Company, 160th Engineer Company, Delaware Army National Guard Officer Candidate School, 193rd Regiment Regional Training Institute, 72nd Troop Command, Land Component Commander, as well as Director of Joint Staff and Special Assistant to the Adjutant General, Joint Force Headquarters, Delaware. General Berry also served as commander of the Delaware Embedded Training Team, Bamyan, Afghanistan attached to the 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team in support of Operation Enduring Freedom from 2009 – 2010. General Berry retired as the Adjutant General Delaware National Guard in February 2025 and from the U.S. Army in April 2025.

While serving as a Delaware State Trooper from Jan 1990 through Sep 2018, General Berry was assigned Patrol duties at Troop 9 Odessa, Troop 7 Lewes and Troop 4 Georgetown and Troop 5 Bridgeville. He worked as a member of the Community Policing Unit, Traffic Section and completed his final assignment as a Lieutenant, Deputy Troop Commander, Troop 4, Georgetown, responsible for the Drug Unit, Governor’s Task Force and School Resource Officers. He also spent over 22 years as a member of the Delaware State Police Special Operations Response Team.

Mr. Crouse was appointed to the Commission on June 10, 2026, for a seven-year term, ending in 2033.

A graduate of Lake Forest High School and Delaware State University, Mr. Crouse earned his undergraduate degree in accounting. He later attended Delaware Technical and Community College and earned an Associate’s degree in Banking and was a 1983 graduate of the Dale Carnegie program.

Mr. Crouse worked for the JCPenney National Bank as a teller, Branch Manager, and then later as Senior Vice President of the Bankcard Division. He also served a dual role as President of the JCPenney Card Bank, NA. He continued his banking work for an additional two years as President of Felton Bank. After 20 years in the banking industry, Mr. Crouse changed careers and took a position with Delaware Cooperative Extension at the University of Delaware. He served as the Kent County 4-H Educator for 13 years and served as County Director of the Kent County Extension Office for 8 years. He was later promoted to the role of State 4-H Program Leader providing leadership to a statewide team approach for youth development programming while building and maintaining partnerships with state and local agencies that support youth initiatives and learning. He remained in this role for 12 years, retiring in 2024. During his professional career, Mr. Crouse served on many national planning committees and was a member of the NAE4-HYDP Board for several years.

Mr. Crouse has been a very active volunteer for Delaware 4-H Program for 48 years serving in various roles of an Organizational Leader, Project Leader, Order of Link Volunteer and as a member for several years of the Delaware 4-H Foundation Board, currently serving as Board President. He has been an active member of the Delaware State Fair Board of Directors since 1989, serving as a Board Member and Corporate Treasurer for the past 37 years. In addition, Mr. Crouse is President of the Harrington Public Library Board, serves as a Youth Advisor for the Delaware Community Foundation Kent County Youth Philanthropy Board and is a member of the Harrington Lions Club.

Dr. Joan DelFattore was appointed to the Commission on March 18, 2026, for a seven-year term, ending in 2033.

Since her retirement from the University of Delaware in 2014, Joan DelFattore has been working as a freelance nonfiction writer. Her articles in the New England Journal of Medicine, Washington Post, Philadelphia Inquirer, Psychology Today, The Health Psychologist, and other venues focus on making American healthcare more responsive to the needs of patients who depend in whole or in part on social support from outside the nuclear family. She did a TEDx talk, “Sick While Single? Don’t Die of Discrimination,” and has been interviewed on NPR’s All Things Considered and on numerous podcasts. Her current project is a book under contract with Yale University Press, scheduled for publication in 2027.

Prior to retirement, Dr. DelFattore published three books with Yale University Press on the topic of academic freedom, as well as dozens of articles. That work won awards from the American Library Association, the Delaware Library Association, the American Educational Research Association, the Spencer Foundation, the Delaware ACLU, and the Gustavus Myer Center for the Study of Bigotry and Human Rights. She has appeared on numerous talk shows in connection with that work, notably 20/20, the Diane Rehm Show, All Things Considered, Radio Times, Fresh Air, and Talk of the Nation.

Since 2017, Dr. DelFattore has been offering monthly writing workshops at Christiana Care for cancer patients, and since 2019, she has added a monthly workshop for resident physicians in the Medical Intensive Care unit as well as additional workshops for staff and physicians. The focus of the workshops is on research-based best practices for using reflective writing to relieve stress. The materials for these workshops are available online through the University of Delaware.

Dr. DelFattore currently serves on the boards of the International Singles Studies Association, the Bella DePaulo Foundation, the Delaware chapter of the International Women’s Forum, and the Lincoln Club of Delaware, and is the past secretary of the Rotary Club of Wilmington. She is also a member of the Cosmos Club, PEN, and the Authors Guild.

Dr. DelFattore holds a Ph.D. in English and an M.S. in Psychology from Penn State University. She served on the UD faculty from 1979-2014, retiring as a full professor with a joint appointment in English and legal studies.