New executive director named to Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission

The Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) has appointed David Lakeman as its new executive director, signaling a potential fresh start for an agency that has struggled with internal instability over the past year.

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Lakeman, who previously served with the CCC as director of government affairs and more recently managed the Cannabis Division at Illinois's Department of Agriculture, will officially assume the role once his background check and other formalities are completed. His selection comes after a months-long search initiated in May.

Lakeman replaces Shawn Collins, who left the executive director role a year ago amid significant agency upheaval, including tensions that led to the firing of former Chairwoman Shannon O'Brien.

Since then, the CCC has faced a series of high-level exits, prompting the state inspector general to recommend legislative intervention to stabilize the commission. During the transition, Debbie Hinton-Creek, the commission’s chief people officer, has been acting as interim director.

The CCC's five-member board, currently short-staffed due to Commissioner Ava Callender Concepcion’s medical leave and a vacancy from O’Brien’s firing, selected Lakeman with votes from three commissioners.

This choice reflects the CCC’s move to chart a more stable path forward, and the agency is hopeful that Lakeman’s experience in cannabis regulation will bring the necessary leadership to meet its challenges and restore confidence.