The Honorable Josette DelleDonne Manning, Esq.

Cabinet Secretary
Delaware Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families

An accomplished prosecutor and advocate for Delaware’s children, Josette DelleDonne Manning became Cabinet Secretary of the Delaware Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families on January 23, 2017.  She currently leads a staff of 1,400 dedicated professionals tasked with coordinating services for children and youth who have experienced abuse and neglect, are in foster care or awaiting adoption, are in need of behavioral health services, or have been court ordered to youth rehabilitative services.

Prior to her confirmation, Secretary Manning was a prosecutor for the Delaware Department of Justice for 16 years.  She conducted more than 75 jury trials during that time, prosecuting crimes from misdemeanors to capital murder. She served as Director of the Special Victims Unit, overseeing prosecution of all child abuse, child death and sex crime cases statewide.

As Cabinet Secretary, she has made it a priority to collaborate with fellow state agencies and advocates to share resources and expertise, develop more creative youth programming, and work with the community to help prepare Delaware’s young people for a brighter future.  She is an active member of Governor Carney’s Family Services Cabinet Council, where she and other cabinet secretaries are working diligently to coordinate better state services for families such as job training, early childhood education, substance abuse treatment, and quality, affordable housing. Secretary Manning is a leader in Delaware’s efforts to become a trauma-informed state by integrating best practices and training for all DSCYF employees to better serve clients and encourage mindfulness and self-care for staff.

Secretary Manning resides in Wilmington with her husband, Bradley, a Judge for the Court of Common Pleas, and their three children, Claire, Conner and Charlotte.

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