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Cohen will assume role of Acting Commissioner upon Head's retirement on November 30, 2024
Governor Janet Mills announced today that Commissioner of the Maine Department of Professional & Financial Regulation (DPFR) Anne Head will retire at the end of this month after more than sixteen years in the role.
Commissioner Head was appointed to lead the Department by former Governor John Baldacci in 2008. She was reappointed by former Governor Paul LePage in 2011 and again by Governor Mills in 2019. In addition to serving as Commissioner, she also leads the Department's Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation, a position she has held since 1996. Prior to serving in the Department, Commissioner Head served as General Counsel of the Maine Health Care Finance Commission and as legal counsel to the Federal Election Commission in Washington, D.C.
"For more than sixteen years, Anne Head has worked tirelessly to protect Maine consumers as Commissioner of the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation - a difficult job that she has excelled at. That three governors - two Democrats and one Republican - have found in Anne a capable leader and trusted advisor is a testament to her expertise, her skill, and her integrity," said Governor Janet Mills. "On behalf of all Maine people, I thank Anne for her extraordinary service to our state, and I wish her the best as she begins her well-deserved retirement."
"It has been a great privilege to lead the Department and the Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation for many years," said Anne Head, Commissioner of the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation. "I appreciate Governor Mills' trust and support during her administration and I owe a debt of gratitude to the talented and hardworking staff of the Department who have served the public with me."
Governor Mills also announced today that she will nominate Joan Cohen of Portland, Deputy Commissioner of the Department, to succeed Head as Commissioner. Cohen has served as Deputy Commissioner since 2019 and is a former Maine lawmaker with deep experience in law and public policy. Governor Mills has also appointed Cohen to serve as Acting Commissioner upon Commissioner Head's retirement on November 30, 2024.
As Deputy Commissioner, Cohen has served on the Department's senior management team, helping to oversee professional licensing, regulation of insurance, and other matters. She has served as the Department's primary liaison to the Maine Legislature and the Governor's Office and has led efforts to strengthen Maine's workforce by reducing licensure barriers.
Prior to joining the Department, Cohen led an extensive career in law, government relations, health policy, and higher education. From 2008 to 2010, she represented Portland's North Deering neighborhood and part of Falmouth in the Maine House of Representatives, where she earned praise for her bipartisan efforts and for her work on legislation to streamline regulatory processes while maintaining strong consumer protections.
"I am pleased to nominate Joan Cohen to serve as Commissioner of the Department of Professional & Financial Regulation," said Governor Mills. "Joan's service as Deputy Commissioner and her time in the Legislature - along with her decades of experience in law and public policy - have prepared her to lead the Department's vital work of protecting Maine consumers."
"I am honored that Governor Mills is nominating me for this important role,"said Joan Cohen, Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Professional and Financial Regulations. "I am committed to working collaboratively with the Legislature and look forward to continuing to promote regulation that protects the public, grows Maine's workforce, and strengthens the state's economy."
The Governor will formally nominate Deputy Commissioner Cohen for the position in the coming weeks. Cohen's nomination will be considered by the Joint Standing Committee on Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services and is subject to confirmation by the Maine Senate.
The mission of the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation is to protect the citizens of Maine through the regulation of State-chartered financial institutions, the insurance industry, grantors of consumer credit, the securities industry, and numerous professions and occupations providing services to the public.
The Department protects consumers through its licensing, examining, and auditing activities; by conducting programs aimed at increasing voluntary compliance with State laws; by investigating possible violations of law; and by undertaking enforcement actions. The Department responds to consumer complaints and requests for information and conducts educational and outreach programs to make consumers aware of their rights under Maine laws.