The Honourable Derek Bennett, Speaker of the House of Assembly, today announced the appointment of Kerry Hatfield as Information and Privacy Commissioner, effective December 5, 2024. The House of Assembly passed a resolution respecting the appointment on December 3, 2024 in accordance with section 85 of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, 2015 (ATIPPA, 2015).
Speaker Bennett also extends sincere thanks to Jackie Lake Kavanagh, who served as acting Information and Privacy Commissioner during the search period, and wishes her well in her future endeavours.
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“I want to congratulate Kerry Hatfield on her appointment as Information and Privacy Commissioner. She has considerable knowledge and experience in the realm of access and privacy, which will be an asset in this important role, and I wish her well in this new position. On behalf of the House of Assembly, I would further like to thank Jackie Lake Kavanagh for her exceptional commitment and exemplary public service during her time as acting Information and Privacy Commissioner.”
Honourable Derek Bennett
Speaker of the House of Assembly
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Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner Newfoundland and Labrador.
Media contact
Mark Jerrett
House of Assembly
709-729-6943
markjerrett@gov.nl.ca
Biography
Kerry Hatfield
Kerry Hatfield was appointed the Information and Privacy Commissioner for Newfoundland and Labrador effective December 5, 2024. Commissioner Hatfield comes with extensive knowledge and experience in access and privacy issues from 20-plus years of legal practice, including 11 years providing legal strategy and advice to the Eastern Regional Health Authority, now NL Health Services. The Commissioner was made Director of Corporate Legal Services in 2022 upon the succession of NL Health Services from the previous regional health authorities. Commissioner Hatfield has expertise in regulatory compliance in privacy, security, data governance and information management within the health care sector and broad base experience in corporate governance, contracts and procurement.
Prior to working in the health care sector, the Commissioner was a partner in private practice at a St. John’s law firm where she specialized in privacy, access to information, and litigation, including representing the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner at both the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador and the Court of Appeal. Commissioner Hatfield obtained a Bachelor of Arts from Mount Allison University in 1997 and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of New Brunswick in 2001. She has been a member of the Law Society of Newfoundland and Labrador since 2002, is past president and director of the Rotary Club of St. John’s Northwest and is a member of the Board of Directors for the Bowring Park Foundation.