Patricia S. Dorey

Patricia “Pat” Dorey has served on the DEC’s board since 2004. She previously served as Assistant Secretary-Treasurer and was elected chair in 2021. During her time representing DEC members, Pat has worked hard to ensure Co-op rates remain among the lowest in the region and advocated for investments that have led to record reliability for DEC members. She has also voted to return tens of millions of dollars to members in the form of billing credits. With more than 20 years of experience in utility governance, Pat’s goal as board chair is to ensure Co-op leaders are investing in a diverse array of local and regional power generation sources that will provide affordable and reliable power to Delawareans for decades to come. To keep abreast of the rapidly changing utility industry, Pat has earned the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s Credentialed Cooperative Director Certificate, Board Leadership Certificate and the Director Gold certification. 

During her time on the DEC Board, Pat has represented DEC at the statewide trade association known as the Virginia, Maryland & Delaware Association of Electric Cooperatives (VMDAEC). She serves on the RHI Board as well as the Educational Services Committee and Foundation Board of the VMDAEC and is a past Chair of the VMDAEC Board.  

Having graduated from the Millsboro Public School, Pat later attended college as an adult student and is an alumnus of both the University of Delaware and Salisbury State College, now Salisbury University. She taught in the Indian River School District for a few years before accepting an opportunity to return to the University of Delaware’s Parallel Program in Georgetown, where she served students and faculty in the administrative role of Assistant Dean for 18 years. Following her retirement from this position, she returned to the Delaware Tech campus in Georgetown and worked several more years as an educational counselor/advisor to prospective and current students.

Pat is married to husband Terry Dorey, and they have two children, Denise Bateman and Darren Dorey, and are additionally blessed to have five wonderful grandchildren and one great grandchild. Pat and Terry are active members of Zoar UM Church in Millsboro, and she also enjoys service to the Delaware District and the Peninsula-Delaware Conference of the UMC.