Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey appointed Jordan Maynard as interim chair of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission on Thursday following the announced retirement of Cathy Judd-Stein.

On the same day that Judd-Stein ended her five-year term with the MGC, Healey tapped Maynard to fill the void on a temporary basis. Maynard joined the MGC as a commissioner two years ago when he received a joint appointment from former Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker, then-Attorney General Healy, and State Treasurer Deb Goldberg.

“I am honored that Governor Healey and Lieutenant Governor Driscoll have entrusted me with this responsibility and thank my fellow commissioners, who are essential to the continued success of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, for their partnership and support,” said Maynard in a statement.

A 2010 graduate of Morehead State University, Maynard received a JD from the Northern Kentucky University’s College of Law three years later. Before entering state service, Maynard worked as a civil attorney, including as an advocate for individuals with disabilities before the Social Security Administration, according to the MGC.

In recent months, Maynard has exhibited a deep understanding of complex topics surrounding data protection. Maynard spoke at length last summer on consumer data protection at a state gambling legislative conference in Denver. Weeks later, the MGC approved groundbreaking regulations surrounding the dissemination of customer personal identifiable information (PII) by licensed sportsbooks.

Ever since, a host of leading sports betting operators have expressed some consternation with the regulations, with DraftKings leading a push to establish an “opt-out” mechanism for customers. In essence, the “opt-out” mechanism would replace an “opt-in” preference for bettors.

— David Borish (@DavidBorish) March 19, 2024

“Every individual customer could have its own menu of uses for its data and that would be extraordinarily difficult to implement,” said David Prestwood, government affairs and public policy counsel at DraftKings.

“It makes it practically infeasible to conduct a lot of reasonable business practices, like marketing, because they rely on vendors.”

Prestwood made the comments at a lively roundtable on the topic last September. The regulations could take sportsbooks up to two years to adopt the new requirements, another operator suggested.

Maynard’s appointment came one day after Dean Serpa verbally accepted an offer to become the next executive director of the MGC. A former Baker aide, Serpa received an appointment as chair of the state’s Gaming Policy Advisory Committee (GPAC) in January 2023.

Also this week, the MGC named Caitlin Monahan director of the Investigations and Enforcement Bureau (IEB). A graduate of Harvard Law School, Monahan recently served as deputy general counsel of the MGC’s legal division.

According to a commission spokesman, Maynard has worked closely with MGC leadership in recent years on appointments to the Gaming Policy Advisory Committee. He has also provided guidance on multiple appointments focused on public health and addiction issues.

“Since beginning as a commissioner, I have been consistently impressed with the level of professionalism and expertise displayed by the Commission staff,” Maynard added. “I look forward to working with our licensees and stakeholders to continue prioritizing consumer protections and responsible gaming.”

Gov. Healey’s office has not set a timetable for appointing a permanent chair.