This story has been updated to reflect direct comments from Gov. Matt Meyer and corrected to better reflect the nature of Vanessa Phillips new role within the administration.
Gov. Matt Meyer announces his inaugural Chief of Staff Vanessa Phillips will be moving to the role of senior advisor to the governor. His Deputy Legal Counsel Misty Seemans has been elevated to the top staff position.
“Vanessa Phillips has been an indispensable partner in advancing our agenda,” Gov. Meyer said in a statement. “Her steady leadership and commitment to public service have been critical to every milestone we’ve achieved both now in the Office of the Governor and as New Castle County’s Chief Administrative Officer—from historic investments in education to protecting the state’s corporate franchise, building the Hope Center and leading the effort to turn a dilapidated historic school building into the Hockessin Colored School #107C county park. As Senior Advisor, Vanessa will continue to lend her strategic vision and counsel on our most complex challenges.”
The announcement did not include any reasoning behind the change in leadership.
When asked directly about the decision to move Phillips to the new role, Gov. Meyer said, "My job is every day to look at the 25,000 plus employees in our state and say, 'How do the puzzle pieces fit together for Delaware?' And we're doing that, not just yesterday, but today, tomorrow every day."
When asked if Phillips's new role is considered a demotion, Gov. Meyer said, "I don't think that's fair. That's not accurate. Vanessa Phillips has moved into a senior strategic role, doing different things with us."
Phillips previously served as Gov. Meyer's Chief Administrative Officer for New Castle County from 2018 to 2025 during the governor's tenure as New Castle County executive.
Thursday's announcement follows rumors circulated on social media that Phillips was fired from her role as chief of staff just days before the end of the legislative session and the finalization of the fiscal year 26 budget bills last month.
In the early hours of July 1, following the signing of the budget bills, when asked if there were any rescissions of terminations or resignations among his senior staffers in the prior days, Gov. Meyer responded, "there were not."
Later at a press conference on July 8, Gov. Meyer was asked what happened at an all-staff meeting on June 27.
"I think it was a three-minute meeting where I said that rumors travel around the world before the truth can put on its shoes, so we're putting on our shoes, and let me just tell you the truth, which is that all the firing and reorganization rumors that I found very entertaining are not true," the governor said.
Gov. Meyer reiterated to Delaware Public Media that Phillips's new role is independent of the rumors that circulated last month: "There were widespread rumors about firings and reorganizations in late June, which were categorically, in every way, false. That has absolutely nothing to do with what we're doing and what we announced today. It's a standard reorganization, standard looking at our staff, seeing how we can move forward."
Seemans has served as Gov. Meyer's deputy legal counsel since January and previously served as an adjunct professor with Widener University Delaware Law School and a family court supervisor with the Delaware Public Defender's Office.
“Misty has been a tireless advocate for good government, ensuring that every policy we propose stands up to the highest legal and ethical standards,” Gov. Meyer said in a statement. “Her stellar judgment, attention to detail, and collaborative spirit make her the perfect choice to serve as Chief of Staff.”
The announcement from the governor's office thanks Phillips for her "outstanding service as Chief of Staff" and congratulates the two on their new roles.
