Meet Delaware's Most Influential for 2025

Representative Melissa Minor-Brown takes her seat among family and other supporters after being elected Speaker of the House on the first day of the legislative session of the 153rd General Assembly at Legislative Hall in Dover, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025.

Kyle Evans Gay speaks after being sworn as Delaware's 27th Lieutenant Governor on Tuesday January 21, 2025.

Former Delaware House Rep. Paul Baumbauch retired in 2024 after serving the Newark area for 12 years.

House Majority Leader Kerri Evelyn Harris (D-32nd) speaks on the first day of the legislative session of the 153rd General Assembly at Legislative Hall in Dover, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025.

U.S. first lady Jill Biden reads to children as President Joe Biden holds a kid during a visit to the Children's National Hospital in Washington, U.S., December 20, 2024.

Delaware Senate Majority Whip Elizabeth "Tizzy" Lockman has led on education reform efforts across the state.

Jane Gruenebaum

John Berl, owner of Uncle John's BBQ and Tio's Taqueria in Claymont.

Leigh Ann Tona (left) and her husband, Zach DeLong (right) are the owners of Sleeping Bird Doughnuts in Talleyville.

Nicholas Vouras adds sauce to a pizza Friday April 8, 2022.

Hope Lopez is an owner of the Blue Mezcal Group that also operates multiple Delaware locations of Mexican restaurant El Azteca, The Bad Hombre brand, and Jackson House, a restaurant in Middletown.

Roger Andrews, Dean Vilone and Shannon Stevens, left to right, of El Diablo Burritos and Hayworth & Finch.

Tyler Townsend of Second Block Hospitality and co-owner of Purple Parrot Grill.

Steve "Monty" Montgomery, co-owner of The Starboard in Dewey Beach, at his home in Rehoboth Beach.

The owners of Wilmington's landmark Mrs. Robino's restaurant pose with the Delaware Restaurant Association's Carrie Leishman shortly before they received the association's 2024 Cornerstone Award.

Delaware Supreme Court Justice Collins Seitz Jr. being sworn in.

Charuni Patibanda-Sanchez

Srinivas M. Raju

Vice Chancellor Kathaleen S. McCormick

Chief Wilfredo Campos, of the Wilmington Police Department, poses for a picture on Thursday January 23, 2025.

Dwayne Bensing, from Wilmington, waits to catch a glimpse of Vice President Kamala Harris in Wilmington, Monday, July 22, 2024. Harris visited Biden campaign headquarters inside the Brandywine Building for a campaign engagement.

Kevin O'Connell, the public defender for Beatriz Fana-Ruiz speaks to the media after the sentencing of Fana-Ruiz Friday morning in Wilmington.

Department of Justice special counsel David Weiss speaks to the media during a news conference, next to the U.S. Attorney Derek E. Hines, after the jury finds Hunter Biden guilty on all three counts in his trial on criminal gun charges, in Wilmington, Delaware, on June 11, 2024.

Gayle Dillman, chief executive officer of Gable Music Ventures.

Matt Patton, president of Surf Bagel.

Christine Schontube, senior vice president of residential operations for Buccini Pollin Group's residential portfolio.

Yushan Yan

Megan McGlinchey, executive director of the Riverfront Development Corp.

Tripp Way

Janice Nevin

Rob Herrera

Former Philadelphia Eagle DeSean Jackson speaks at a introductory event as he is named Delaware State University's head football coach in Dover, Del., Wednesday Jan. 8, 2025.

Wilmington University athletic director Stefanie Whitby

Delaware State University athletic director Tony Tucker.

Ryan Wolfe is Sports Sales Leader for the state of Delaware Tourism Office.

University of Delaware interim athletic director Jordan Skolnick.

Delaware head coach Ryan Carty spots two of his captains before the coin toss against Maine at Delaware Stadium, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024.

DIAA Executive Director David Baylor during the Delaware Online high school football media day at Odessa High School, Wednesday, August 7, 2024.

DIAA compliance coordinator Joe Papili

Rep. Eric Morrison

Delaware State Rep. Kamela Smith is featured during New Legislator Orientation at Legislative Hall in Dover, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024.

Ronaldo Tello is the clinical director of the Hispanic American Association of Delaware.

April Thomas-Jones is the president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Delaware.

Lorrie Williams, center, was an honoree at this year's Awards of Valor ceremony, an award ceremony hosted by Philadelphia's National Liberty Museum. It honors first responders in the Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey area for acts of heroism and community service.

Representative Kimberly Williams (D-19th) greets the assembly on the first day of the legislative session of the 153rd General Assembly at Legislative Hall in Dover, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025.

Leslie Palladino is the director of recovery services at Impact Life, a non-profit helping people struggling with addiction.

Helen Salita joined the ACLU of Delaware team in January of 2023 as a campaign manager, leading advocacy campaigns related to reproductive freedom, immigrant rights and more.

Nathalie Princilus is Christina School District's Supervisor of Unique Programs, Equity, Student and Staff Support.

Nigel Caplan is a professor within University of Delaware's English Language Institute, as well as the catalyst and director of its Project DELITE – Delaware English Learners’ Impact on Teacher Education – which just finished its first cohort of educators becoming certified as teachers of English learners or bilingual teachers to close shortages in these roles throughout Delaware education.

Shelley Rouser is an associate professor and chair to Delaware State University's Department of Education. Under her leadership, Delaware State University received a $31.6 million dollar grant for an Early Childhood Innovation Center, set to officially open this spring.

Michael Hill-Shaner, an education associate in the Delaware Department of Education's Career and Technical Education workgroup, leads Delaware’s Teacher Academy and Educators Rising programs, aiming to foster future K-12 education careers.

James "Ray" Rhodes is the community engagement director for EastSide Charter School's new, $26 million STEM Hub, serves as Board Chairman for Kingswood Community Center, supports the same charter school's APEX Honors program and more.

Morgan Rispoli is a physical education teacher at Paul M. Hodgson Vo-Tech High School, in Delaware.

Khayree Bey is an award-winning teacher at Colonial's Calvin R. McCullough Middle School in New Castle, Delaware.

Melissa Tracy poses at Odyssey Charter School in Wilmington, Delaware, on Feb. 5, 2024. Tracy leads a "one-of-a-kind" food studies program — from teaching students the importance of healthy food systems, to transforming her room into a large hydroponic lab where students produce organic fruit and vegetables themselves — at Odyssey.

Elisabeth Shue attends the Los Angeles Premiere of 'The Good Half' at Saban Theatre on Aug. 13, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California.

Wilmington native Ian Fidance is making noise in the comedy scene, both on stage and with his podcast, 'Bein' Ian with Jordan Podcast,' which has over 80,000 subscribers.

Dan Dougherty, general manager of Kelly's Logan House in Wilmington.

Marcus, right, and Michael Griffin of Wilmington, known as The Griffin Brothers.

Ti West attends the 'Maxxxine' photo call at Delphi Filmpalast on July 3, 2024 in Berlin, Germany.

Beverley Zimmermann, co-owner of The Screening Room at 1313 in Wilmington.

Barry Schlecker is the owner of Barry's Events, which is the producer of the annual Brandywine Festival of the Arts.

Ric Cunningham and Katie Salsbury, co-owners of Elkton Music Hall

Chandra G. Pitts, president & CEO of One Village Alliance, was recognized as one of Delaware Online’s Most Influential in the Community Impact category in 2025.

Brian E. Lewis, a Dover City Council member and community volunteer, was recognized as one of Delaware Online’s Most Influential in the Community Impact category in 2025 for his work advocating for veterans and the homeless.

Charlotte King at her home in Lewes Feb. 7, 2025.

India Colon-Diaz, vice president of Nuestras Raices Delaware, was recognized as one of Delaware Online’s Most Influential in the Community Impact category in 2025.

Charlotte Miller-Lacy founder and national executive director of I Am My Sister’s Keeper and the MSK Community Center in Wilmington, was recognized as one of Delaware Online’s Most Influential in the Community Impact category in 2025.

Raymond Fitzgerald, executive director of the Wilmington Housing Authority.

Noa Mills, former Miss USA Delaware and community advocate.

Jim Shanahan, Executive Director of the Brandywine River Restoration Trust.

Matt Walsh arrives at 'Am I Racist?' movie premiere at Regal Green Hills on Sept. 9, 2024 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Alexis Harris

Kailyn Lowry (center) attends the 27th Annual Webby Awards at Cipriani Wall Street on May 15, 2023 in New York City.

Larry Pennington of Rehoboth Beach has over 230,000 TikTok followers who are charmed by his fashion sense and thrifted home.

Taylor Reilly

Sofia Valastro

Jymere Stillis-Stanford