Gov. Hogan Appoints Maryland's First Chief Privacy Officer, Chief Data Officer
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WJZ) -- Maryland Governor Larry Hogan on Wednesday announced the state's first Chief Privacy Officer, Laura Gomez-Martin, and Chief Data Officer, Patrick McLoughlin.
The Governor's Office said the appointments further the state's commitment to cybersecurity and data privacy.
"Public officials have no higher responsibility than keeping the American people safe, and there is no greater threat to their safety than the cyber vulnerabilities of the systems that support our daily lives," Hogan said. "With these appointments, Maryland is further cementing its status as the cyber capital of America. Laura and Patrick both bring exceptional experience in these areas, and critical relationships with state and local leaders."
Gomez-Martin, an attorney with specializations in cybersecurity and technology law, will oversee the state's privacy program and related initiatives. She currently serves as the Deputy Chief Information Security Officer at the Maryland Department of Information Technology.
"I'm honored to serve as Maryland's first State Chief Privacy Officer," Gomez-Martin said. "How organizations collect and use data has increasingly become an important issue, and I'm excited to work with the governor's office and state agencies to continue building privacy practices that protect the personal information of Maryland residents."
McLoughlin is a data and analytics professional with extensive experience helping organizations maximize the value of their data, the Governor's Office said.
"In this environment of threats and vulnerabilities, it is critical that governments stay at the forefront of these issues, and I want to thank Governor Hogan for the opportunity to serve as the state's first Chief Data Officer," McLoughlin said. "I'm looking forward to applying my experience in both the public sector and the private sector to advance the state's commitment to data and analytics."
The appointments are the result of executive orders that Hogan signed earlier this year at the Annapolis Cybersecurity Summit.