BOSTON — Today, Governor Charlie Baker appointed Cathy M. Judd-Stein as the Chair of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission. Judd-Stein, who has served as Deputy Chief Legal Counsel in the governor’s office since 2015, has served as a legal advisor to five Massachusetts Governors, Executive Director of Governor Patrick’s Judicial Nominating Commission, and General Counsel for the Massachusetts State Treasury.

“Cathy has built an impressive legal career over the last several decades providing sound guidance on complicated legal matters involving state law and public policy,” said Governor Baker. “She is highly regarded not only here on Beacon Hill, but throughout the legal community for her expertise on a wide variety of legal issues, most notably the laws governing the ethics and conduct of public employees. Cathy’s experience in state government and incredible diligence and attention to detail for every task she takes on are some of the many attributes that qualify her to be the Chair of the Gaming Commission. We thank Cathy for her contributions to our administration and look forward to her taking on this critically important position with the Commission. I also thank Gayle Cameron for serving as interim chair since late September.”

“Cathy has played an invaluable role on our team over the last four years, advising Governor Baker and I on many important issues, including human resources, compliance and education policy,” said Lieutenant Governor Polito. “I thank her for all she has done for our administration and look forward to her next task as Chair during a most transformative time for Massachusetts gaming.”

“I am honored to have served Governor Baker and Lieutenant Governor Polito these last four years,” said Cathy Judd-Stein. “I thank them for giving me this opportunity to continue working at the intersection of complex, important public and private sector issues and I look forward to working with my fellow Commissioners at the Massachusetts Gaming Commission.”

The Massachusetts Gaming Commission was created after “An Act Establishing Expanded Gaming in the Commonwealth” was signed into law on November 22, 2011. The Commission is a five member independent body that is responsible for developing and managing the process to select, license, oversee, and regulate all expanded gaming facilities in the Commonwealth. The costs associated with operating the state’s gaming commission is paid for by the gaming industry and not by Massachusetts tax dollars.

The Chair of the Commission is appointed by the Governor; one member is appointed by the Attorney General (whose appointee must have a background in criminal investigations and law enforcement); and one member is chosen by the State Treasurer (whose appointee must be proficient in corporate finance and securities). The remaining two commissioners are appointed by a majority vote of the same three constitutional officers.

About Cathy M. Judd-Stein 

Cathy Judd-Stein currently serves as Deputy Chief Legal Counsel for the Office of the Governor. In that role, she provides guidance to Governor Charlie Baker and Lieutenant Governor Polito on a broad array of legal issues. She has spent much of her career dedicated to public service, advising extensively on public ethics and the state conflict of interest law, governmental reforms, and education and human services. Ms. Judd-Stein served as an instructor of “Ethics and Public Policy” for UMass Boston’s John W. McCormack Graduate School of Policy and Global Studies from 2007-2015.

In 2000, Governor Paul Cellucci appointed Ms. Judd-Stein to serve as Deputy Legal Counsel and his ethics advisor. She remained in that same position for Governors Jane Swift, Mitt Romney and Deval Patrick (through his transition), and then served as Governor Patrick’s Executive Director of the Judicial Nominating Commission. From 2011-2013, she worked at the Massachusetts State Lottery as Assistant Executive Director, Director of Policy and Special Counsel and then was named General Counsel of the State Treasury by the State Treasurer and Receiver. She served in that capacity until her appointment by Governor Baker in 2015.

A graduate of Dartmouth College and Harvard Law School, Ms. Judd-Stein is a Trustee of St. Johnsbury Academy in St. Johnsbury, Vermont. She also is a member of the Women’s Health Advisory Board for the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. She is a member of the national Board of Directors for GLAAD and a former President of the Class Officers Association at Dartmouth College.

Ms. Judd-Stein lives in Winchester, Massachusetts and she and her husband are the parents of three adult children.

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