Director of Special Projects
State of Delaware/Department of State
Patricia A Cannon, MSM, AZS: Patty is the Director of Special Projects and Foreign-Trade Zone #99 Grantee Administrator within the State of Delaware’s Department of State. She graduated with honors having earned a BS in Business Management and a Master of Science in Management from Wilmington University and Accredited Zones Specialist certification from National Association of Foreign-Trade Zones (NAFTZ). Previously, Patty served as the Executive Director of Delaware’s Workforce Investment Board and the Director of Advocacy for the American Heart Association, serving the State of Delaware and Southeastern, Pennsylvania. She taught part-time as an adjunct instructor in the Human Services Department of Delaware Technical Community College for 18 years where she developed a sincere appreciation for the student experience in the classroom.
Patty relies heavily on the relationships and knowledge base that is available through collaborative efforts with federal, state and local stakeholders with whom she has developed long-standing relationships over 22 years working in the public sector. Through a combined effort of 15 years working in private industry and her continued service as an active Board member of the NAFTZ and Delaware's Workforce Development Board, Patty continues to listen carefully to the needs of industry, including our extraordinary accredited Higher Education Institutions. One of the most compelling set of statistics that drive our collaborative efforts in education can be found in the NAFSA International Student Economic Value Tool. While these 2023 numbers may seem small from a national perspective, they are extremely significant to the 2nd smallest State with a total population that hovers around 1 million people:
Financial Contribution $107.7 million
Jobs Supported 1,039
International Student Enrolled 3,819
Leveraging Community and Municipal Resources for International Education
Wednesday, May 28, 2025
2:30 PM – 3:20 PM PST