The MPAA has named a new chair of the Classification and Rating Administration (CARA), the group that assigns film ratings. Deadline confirms that Kelly McMahon will succeed Joan Graves, who is retiring next year after 30 years with the org.

Currently serving as VP and corporate counsel, McMahon is the legal counsel to CARA, “providing guidance about compliance with the CARA rules and the advertising review process. She also oversees the CARA Appeals Board process,” the source details. McMahon joined the MPAA 11 years ago. She’ll serve as deputy chair of the Classification and Rating Administration board during the transition.

McMahon previously worked for the NFL as well as Los Angeles-based law firm Jeffer, Mangels, Butler & Mitchell. She is a graduate of UCLA School of Law.

“I look forward to working with Joan and Kelly to shape the future of the rating system and continue our mission of helping American parents make informed viewing choices for their children,” said MPAA chairman and CEO Charles Rivkin.

Founded by former MPAA president and CEO Jack Valenti 50 years ago, CARA is a “voluntary program [that] provided an alternative to government censorship of movies and was designed first and foremost to be a resource for parents, while simultaneously protecting the First Amendment, the rights of filmmakers, and the creative process,” Deadline explains.

“As a parent of a seven-year-old son, I rely on the ratings and know first-hand how important it is to have useful information about the films my family watches,” McMahon said in a statement.

The MPAA isn’t talked about much outside of the industry — at least not by name — but the org’s power cannot be overstated. They determine how old audience members need to be to gain admittance to a film, and influence parents’ decisions about whether or not a film is appropriate for their child(ren). The MPAA’s rulings can have huge economic repercussions for films, severely widening or limiting their audiences — and box office potential.