Barbara Anthony was appointed by Governor Deval Patrick to serve as Undersecretary of the Massachusetts Office of Consumer Affairs & Business Regulation (OCABR) in May 2009, a position where she oversees the state Division of Standards, Division of Professional Licensure, Division of Insurance, Division of Banks, and Department of Telecommunications and Cable. A Massachusetts native, she has spent her career fighting for consumers, resulting in a reputation as one of the state's top consumer advocates.

In the three years since her appointment, Anthony has championed numerous initiatives that seek to educate and empower Massachusetts consumer and to create a regulatory environment that promotes a fair and competitive playing field for Massachusetts businesses. Anthony promulgated and oversaw the implementation of the 2010 data security regulations to ensure protection of Massachusetts residents' personal information. She has also worked closely with the Division of Insurance to keep health care rate increases under control and to implement the Massachusetts landmark healthcare cost containment law. Anthony instituted Project Credit Smarts, a program to educate college and university students about the importance of financial literacy. Under her leadership, OCABR has worked closely with the financial services sector and thousands of homeowners at workshops across the Commonwealth to try to keep them in their homes and informed about their rights during the foreclosure process. 

Previously, Anthony served as the Executive Director of the non-profit advocacy law firm Health Law Advocates. She also served as the Regional Director of the Northeast Regional Office of the Federal Trade Commission, Chief of the Public Protection Bureau of the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office, and formerly served as Chief Compliance Officer of Bay Banks, Inc.

Anthony, who began her career with the U.S. Department of Justice, holds Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Master of Arts in Economics degrees from Northeastern University. She is also a graduate of Suffolk University Law School, where she currently serves as an Adjunct Professor of Law. She frequently appears as an expert on consumer protection issues in the New England media markets.