In the latest entry of our commissioner spotlight series, we are focusing on the head of Rhode Island’s Department of Business Regulation (DBR), Elizabeth Dwyer. Director Dwyer has led the DBR since 2023, when Governor Dan McKee nominated her for the position. Prior to leading the DBR, Director Dwyer spent over 20 years with the Department, serving first as General Counsel to the Insurance Division, and later as Associate and Deputy Director overseeing banking, insurance, and securities. Director Dwyer also spent time practicing private law in California and Rhode Island, focusing on litigation and insurance regulation. Director Dwyer is a graduate of Providence College and received her JD from Pepperdine University.

Why She’s Important to Agents

Director Dwyer has been an active member of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) and was elected to the executive committee to serve as Secretary-Treasurer for 2024. Additionally, Director Dwyer was appointed as the NAIC representative to the US Department of the Treasury’s Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC) in 2022. In 2023, Director Dwyer was awarded the NAIC’s prestigious Raymond G. Farmer Award for Exceptional Leadership.

Outside of the NAIC, Director Dwyer has also been a key member of the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR), where she served in various leadership positions, including as Vice President.

PIA has long valued its close relationship with the NAIC and its leaders, and we look forward to continuing to collaborate with Director Dwyer at the NAIC and in the state of Rhode Island in the future.