Cheryl Saniuk-Heinig, CIPP/US, CIPP/E, CIPM

Prior to joining McDonald Hopkins, Cheryl advised organizations on privacy and cybersecurity compliance initiatives, including Privacy Impact Assessments, risk assessments, cross-border data considerations, and policy development, translating complex regulatory requirements into practical, business-oriented solutions.

Cheryl previously served on the Research and Insights Team at the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP), where she authored practitioner-focused guidance on global privacy, cybersecurity, and AI regulations and helped develop compliance resources addressing incident notification, cross-border data transfers, and enforcement trends. Her background also includes extensive courtroom and trial experience from her prior litigation practice, as well as a clerkship with Maine’s highest appellate court.

Cheryl is accredited by the IAPP as a Certified Information Privacy Professional for the United States (CIPP/US), Europe (CIPP/E), and as a Certified Information Privacy Manager (CIPM).  Since her gubernatorial appointment in 2022, she has served on a legislative advisory committee addressing the status, issues, and needs of Maine’s Freedom of Access laws.

Cheryl earned her Juris Doctor, magna cum laude, and a Certificate in Information Privacy Law, with distinction, from the University of Maine School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts, cum laude, from Syracuse University.