Meyer announces nominees for cabinet positions
Incoming Gov. Matt Meyer has announced his picks for secretary of state, secretary of finance, and director of the Office of Management and Budget.
On Dec. 11, Meyer announced Tower Hill grad Charuni Patibanda-Sanchez for Delaware secretary of state.
Patibanda-Sanchez currently serves as the general manager of the New Castle County Department of Land Use, where she oversees a staff of more than 100 customer service employees who make up the development service, licensing, inspection and code enforcement divisions.
A press release issued by the Meyer transition team said Patibanda-Sanchez “created an inclusive and supportive environment, which resulted in increases in both hiring and promotion for diverse candidates,” and she prioritized constituents by streamlining and improving the customer service experience.
She leads the department’s legislative policy priorities and community engagement efforts. Recent legislative efforts include protection for residents living adjacent to large industrial structures, incentivizing redevelopment and mixed-use housing projects in commercial corridors, and promoting creation of affordable and starter housing stock for New Castle County, the release states.
Patibanda-Sanchez previously served as economic development director for New Castle County during the pandemic, when she created small business initiatives using ARPA federal funding and was successful in winning New Castle County’s first Economic Development Administration grant.
Patibanda-Sanchez was born and raised in New Castle County, attending Red Clay elementary and middle schools before graduating from Tower Hill School. She received her law degree from Emory University and BA/MA degrees in economics from the University of Southern California. She lives in Pike Creek with her husband Marcos Sanchez.
Meyer announced nominations for secretary of finance and the director of Office of Management and Budget Dec. 12.
Lifelong Delawarean and University of Delaware graduate Brian Maxwell has been nominated for director of OMB, a position he was appointed to in 2016 by the Markell administration. He has been working as chief financial officer for Children & Families First after working in various county and state government positions over the past 13 years, according to a press release. This work included assisting Meyer’s New Castle County administration with developing a long-term balanced financial plan and increasing transparency for county spending.
Nominated for Delaware secretary of finance is another candidate with experience in New Castle County government and the state.
Michael R. Smith is currently chief financial officer for New Castle County, where he oversees the budget and treasury, among other financial responsibilities. Smith previously worked as deputy director of Delaware Division of Revenue, where he was responsible for the administration and enforcement of the Delaware tax code, the processing of tax returns and forms, and the daily operations of all offices within the division. Smith earned his juris doctorate with a concentration in tax from the Widener University School of Law and an undergraduate degree in economics and finance from the University of Waterloo.
The state Senate must confirm all three positions.
