Caitlyn Tobey receives the IAPP's 100,000th certification

The IAPP surpassed 100,000 certifications worldwide, emphasizing how the role of privacy and digital responsibility professionals has expanded alongside the evolving regulatory landscape. Medtronic Americas Privacy Legal Program Manager Caitlyn Tobey, CIPP/C, CIPP/E, CIPP/US, CIPM, CIPT, FIP, who received the IAPP's 100,000th certification, noted the milestone reflects both her own professional development and the growing importance of understanding regional privacy frameworks.

The number of certifications demonstrates "the rapid growth and increasing importance of the privacy profession," Tobey said. "Our profession has matured into an essential discipline that sits at the intersection of law, technology and ethics. Employers across all sectors highly value these certifications as a benchmark of competency and verifiable expertise in navigating the complexities of data protection law and practice."

Tobey recently received the IAPP's Certified Information Privacy Professional/Canada certification to gain a deeper understanding of Canada's privacy frameworks, particularly Quebec's Law 25.

"Passing the CIPP/C exam was a goal that I set for myself as part of my ongoing professional development," Tobey said. "I wanted to ensure my expertise kept up with Canada's evolving privacy and AI legal landscape."

Earning the certification served as validation of her expertise within health care, compliance and emerging technologies as well as her work aiding in the development of privacy programs.

"It's a formal recognition that my experience with federal, provincial and health-sector privacy laws meets the industry's highest standard," Tobey said.

She noted the knowledge gained from her CIPP/C certification alongside her extensive career in the privacy field has helped support her team's implementation of a new platform and intake process for global privacy rights requests, allowing Tobey to better navigate "the specific nuances of Canadian federal and provincial requirements."

Tobey highlighted the importance of continuing to adapt to current compliance challenges while ensuring organizations maintain a strong understanding of obligations under regional regulations.

"It would be a mistake to assume that Canadian privacy requirements are the same as the U.S. or EU,” Tobey said. "Investing time and effort to earn this credential demonstrates that privacy professionals understand the balance between federal and provincial powers, which is critical for any organization doing business in the Canadian market."

Maintaining compliance obligations while bolstering consumer privacy remains critical in sectors such as health care. Tobey said one of her proudest accomplishments has been improving how patients and consumers interact with privacy processes.

"When it comes to privacy in the health care field, whether it involves a patient visit to a hospital for treatment, clinical trial participation, or use of medical device data, patient trust is paramount," Tobey said. "This trust is built, in part, by ensuring patients clearly understand their privacy rights and can easily exercise those rights."

Tobey, who previously served as co-chair of the IAPP's Boston Area KnowledgeNet chapter, emphasized the importance of professional development and community engagement.

"Some of the best connections I have made are through regional IAPP KnowledgeNets and events hosted by law schools with privacy legal departments," Tobey said. "You will need to be a lifelong learner to survive and thrive in this field, so start putting yourself out there and talk to people already doing the work."