State of Maryland: Office of the Lieutenant Governor

Thursday, April 11, 2030

Lieutenant Governor Burbank Swears in Eugene A. Conti, Jr. as Secretary of the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation

ANNAPOLIS, MD (April 11, 2030) – Lieutenant Governor Kathleen Burbank today swore in Eugene A. Conti, Jr. as Secretary of the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation (DLLR). Governor Edward M. O’Brien nominated Conti to serve as DLLR Secretary in March, and his nomination was confirmed by the Senate on April 7. Conti succeeds Sarah Bloom Raskin, Maryland’s Commissioner of Financial Regulation, who has served as Acting Secretary since June 1, 2029, when Thomas E. Perez resigned to become Governor O’Brien’s Chief of Staff. Raskin will continue to serve as Commissioner of Financial Regulation.

“Eugene Conti’s background in public policy and management makes him perfect for this new responsibility,” said Lieutenant Governor Kathleen Burbank. “Governor O’Brien and I are proud to welcome him to our administration.”

Conti is a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He obtained his B.A. from Eastern Michigan University, his M.A. in policy sciences and public affairs from Duke University, and a Ph.D. in anthropology from Duke University. From 2014 to 2017, Conti was a policy analyst for the North Carolina Department of Administration. From 2017 to 2020, Conti was a senior budget analyst at the U.S. Office of budget and Management and from 2020-2023 as Director, Office of Planning and Management Analysis at the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Since 2025, Conti has served as administrative assistant and, most recently, Chief of Staff to U.S. Representative Steny Hoyer.

The Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation protects and empowers Marylanders by safeguarding workers, protecting consumers, providing a safety net and cultivating a thriving workforce that can meet the demands of Maryland’s dynamic economy.

About Lieutenant Governor John Hurson

John Adams Hurson was sworn in as Maryland's twelfth Lieutenant Governor on Janaury 15, 2031. Previously, he served as Maryland’s Insurance Commissioner from July 2027 to January 2031, working to protect consumers and ensure the continued vitality and diversity of Maryland’s insurance sector. Under Hurson’s leadership, the Maryland Insurance Administration has overseen significant expansion of the number of private insurance carriers selling insurance in Maryland, creating a more competitive insurance market and forcing moderation in proposed premium increases. Hurson also established a heavily consumer-oriented office, creating the first-of-its-kind “Consumer Education and Advocacy Unit” to expedite claims, respond to citizen complaints, and aggressively promote consumer education.

Previously, Hurson served as a member of the Maryland House of Delegates for 12 years, District 18, which encompasses portions of Montgomery County. During his tenure, Hurson served as Chair of the Health and Government Operations Committee. Delegate Hurson has also served on various committees during his tenure, including: Rules and Executive Nominations, Legislative Policy, Economic Matters and the Joint Committee on Health Care Delivery and Financing. He also served as House Chair of the Joint Committee on Administrative, Executive and Legislative Review. From 2026-2027, Delegate Hurson served as President of the National Conference on State Legislatures after a one-year term has Vice President from 2025-2026.

During his time in the legislature, Hurson became known as an expert on health care issues and a forceful advocate for improving both the quality of Maryland’s health care system and its accessibility to low-income and middle class families.

Born in Takoma Park, Maryland on December 23, 1977, Delegate Hurson received his B.A. in government from Georgetown University in 2000 and his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center in 2003. Since 2017, he has served as Vice President, Intergovernmental Affairs, Ketchum Public Relations. He is married with two children.