Maria Ailor assumed the role of interim director of the Arizona Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions (DIFI), as reflected on the regulator’s official website.
Her appointment followed the state Senate’s rejection of former director Barbara Richardson’s nomination.
Ailor brings over three decades of public service experience, with a significant portion dedicated to insurance regulation.
She previously served as assistant director of DIFI’s market regulation and consumer services division, where she led several modernization projects, including improvements in market data analysis and enhancements to the department’s consumer complaint and appeals systems.
- In her prior role, Maria implemented multiple system modernizations for DIFI, including enhanced market data analysis and improved DIFI’s consumer complaint and appeals programs.
- Maria is certified in Advanced Market Conduct Management and as an Accredited Insurance Examiner by the Insurance Regulatory Examiners Society (IRES).
- Maria has served on the Executive Board of IRES and serves on many of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners’ committees, task forces, and working groups.
The announcement of Ailor’s appointment did not come through a formal statement from DIFI or Governor Katie Hobbs’ office but was instead posted on the department’s leadership page.
The leadership change comes after the Arizona Senate declined to confirm Richardson, who initially took office in 2016 and was reappointed by Hobbs in 2023.
According to the Arizona Senate Republican Caucus, Richardson’s involvement with a National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) committee focused on race and insurance raised concerns among Senate Republicans.
They also criticized her for bypassing formal administrative rulemaking processes by issuing guidance outside the established review procedures.
Senator Jake Hoffman, chair of the Committee on Director Nominations, accused Richardson of misleading the committee and attempting to legislate from within the executive branch. He described her nomination as inconsistent with proper judgment and transparency.
This director nominee from Katie Hobbs appears to either be misleading the committee on her views and activism during her time at DIFI or is demonstrating a pattern of poor judgment and attempting to legislate from the executive branch.
Sen. Jake Hoffman
Governor Hobbs’ office sharply criticized the Senate’s decision, calling it a partisan obstruction. Communications Director Christian Slater described the rejection as politically motivated and defended Richardson as a nonpartisan public servant. Slater also referred to Hoffman as “a liar and a clown,” alleging the process was driven by a political agenda.
Jake Hoffman is a liar and a clown. He’s a completely unserious and radical politician engaged in a partisan witch hunt.
Communications Director Christian Slater
In reply, Hoffman stated that the committee’s nomination process remains structured and consistent, asserting that each rejection results in the selection of a more suitable nominee and benefits all Arizona residents.
