Chett Delong
You may recognize Chett DeLong from FLEX events—he’s been behind the camera taking beautiful photos for us at Bike ‘n Brew and our Annual Meeting. You may not know, though, that Chett also works as a Material Analyst for the Federal Government through McManis & Monsalve Associates.
Chett was born in Maine and grew up in Raleigh, NC, but most of his family roots are in Northwest PA. After attending East Carolina University and earning his bachelor’s degree in Media Production, Chett moved to Venango County and has been here for about three years.
Although Chett was born deaf and got a Cochlear Implant at age seven, that didn’t stop him from achieving great things. He grew up using a visual mode of communication called Cued Speech and it has allowed him to excel in all levels of school—he went through college with minimal assistance and obtained a degree. “I am proud of being able to accomplish that and am thankful for the support system I was fortunate to have,” he said. Chett is also proud of the documentary work about Cued Speech he has done over the years in collaboration with other peers involved in the deaf community.
Looking towards the next 5-10 years, Chett plans to accomplish goals both personally and professionally. He enjoys his work as a Material Analyst, but would like to do something more aligned with his Media Production degree. Personally, he’d like to work to make the world a better place, and find joy in that. “I do believe that happiness trumps everything and look to pursue it from as many avenues as I can,” he said.
In his free time, you can often find Chett taking advantage of being outdoors. His family owns a home on the river in Henry’s Bend and he spends much of his summer SUP’ing (Stand up Paddle boarding), swimming, hiking, laying in the sun, and visiting with friends and family. He also enjoys exercising and eating healthy and has recently gotten into brewing and drinking loose leaf teas. He told us: “I strive to live mindfully and enjoy all the little things that make life great.”
Some of his favorite spots in Venango County include eateries such as Villa Italia, Double Play, El Toro Mexican, and Farmoore’s Family Restaurant, and he also enjoys taking walks on the various greenways in the area.
Chett appreciates the opportunity to collaborate with other young professionals and contribute towards accomplishing great things. He has enjoyed attending and taking photos at FLEX events and looks forward to becoming a more integral part of the group.
“I’d like to see the group continue to grow and progress its influential force to collectively propel and generate ambassadors for Venango County to create a very bright future,” he said.
These profiles are included in the Future Leaders & Entrepreneurs Exchange (FLEX) FYI newsletter each month. You can find all young professional profiles here.