Gov. Baker Appoints Legal Advisor Judd-stein as New MGC Chair

Gov. Charlie Baker appointed Cathy M. Judd-Stein on Tuesday as the new Chair of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC).

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.

Judd-Stein replaces Steve Crosby, who resigned suddenly last fall from the MGC after many years as its leader.

“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 Gov. 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.”

Said Judd-Stein, “I am honored to have served Governor Baker and Lieutenant Governor Polito these last four years. 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 MGC was created under the expanded gaming act on Nov. 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. 

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, Judd-Stein is a Trustee of St. Johnsbury Academy in St. Johnsbury, VT. 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.

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

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