ALDOI Strengthens PBM Compliance Division with appointment of Chief PBM Regulatory Counsel

Contact: Jennifer Bowen
(334) 269-3550

7/28/2026

Alabama Insurance Commissioner Mark Fowler announces the appointment of Mary-Coleman M. Roberts as Chief PBM Regulatory Counsel for the Department’s Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) Compliance Division, effective August 1, 2026.
 
Roberts brings nearly two decades of legal experience in state government, including extensive executive leadership in regulatory compliance, civil litigation and appellate practice, administrative and state procurement law, and governmental operations. 

As Chief PBM Regulatory Counsel, Roberts will oversee the legal and regulatory operations of the Department’s PBM Compliance Division. She will lead the development of regulatory policies, enforcement strategies, and legal guidance supporting Alabama’s PBM oversight program, provide legal analysis on state and federal pharmacy laws and regulations, advise Department leadership on examinations and enforcement matters, and oversee the Division’s regulatory mission. She will also play a key role in legislative analysis, interagency collaboration, and the continued implementation of Alabama’s PBM compliance initiatives.

 “The Alabama Legislature made PBM oversight a priority, and our Governor signed that oversight into law,” said Insurance Commissioner Mark Fowler. “The Alabama Department of Insurance is taking that responsibility seriously. We are committed to carrying out that mission by ensuring the Pharmacy Benefit Manager law is administered fairly, consistently, and as intended. Building a strong compliance program is essential to protecting Alabama consumers and supporting the Legislature’s vision for greater accountability and transparency in this marketplace.”

Before joining the Department, Roberts most recently served as General Counsel for the Alabama Department of Corrections, where she managed the department’s legal division, including the offices of general counsel, public records, administrative procedures, PREA compliance, inmate ADA compliance, and inmate grievances;  advised the Commissioner and executive leadership; supervised complex civil litigation; managed the department’s procurement processes and contracts; drafted proposed legislation and departmental policies and procedures; and helped coordinate the department’s governmental operations. Prior to that role, Roberts served as an Assistant Attorney General with the Department of Corrections and as a Staff Attorney for the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals. 
 
Dr. Kelli Littlejohn Newman, Senior Director of the Department’s PBM Compliance Division, said Roberts’ appointment represents another significant milestone in expanding Alabama’s PBM regulatory program.

“As our Division continues to grow, adding experienced legal leadership is essential to ensuring consistent, fair, and effective oversight of this important law,” said Dr. Newman. “We are grateful to the Alabama Legislature for providing the resources necessary to build a team with the expertise required to carry out its vision.  It’s time now to get to work.”

Roberts earned her Juris Doctor from Faulkner University’s Thomas Goode Jones School of Law and holds a Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in Political Science from Auburn University. She is admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of Alabama the United States District Courts for the Northern, Middle, and Southern Districts of Alabama and the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.

 “I am honored to join the Alabama Department of Insurance and contribute to this important work,” said Roberts. “I look forward to supporting the Department’s mission of ensuring compliance with Alabama law while protecting both the consumers of our state and the integrity of Alabama's healthcare system.”


  

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