Fourth and fifth grade YW after school students at P.S. 90 are learning principles of STEM through a classic school contest, the Pine Wood Derby! Over the course of a month, students learned the laws of motion, force, aerodynamics, and how to apply these principles to enhance their own pine-wood racers.

Working as groups, students developed team names and logos, as well as designing custom racecars using their newfound knowledge. Finally it was time to test their designs on the racetrack. A forty foot long track tested the students’ engineering skills, with the first team’s car to reach the finish line declared as winner.

Thanks to Teacher Patrick Papallo and Group Leader Michael Ables for leading this fun and informative lesson.
 

It’s no secret that there aren’t enough girls participating in sports, especially basketball. Despite gains like Title IX, girls are often not given equal opportunity and encouragement to pursue athletics. Many schools do not even offer separate boys and girls basketball teams until high school, limiting the opportunity for girls to get involved in organized sports at a young age.

The YW-UFT Extended Day Program has teamed up with DYCD and NIKE to ensure that girls have equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from organized sports, through the formation of a girls basketball team and participation in the Beacon NIKE Tournament.

The free tournament, which runs March through June, gives children a chance to learn basic basketball skills, participate in a well known tournament, and to practice with and learn from college basketball players. Through the tournament students also learn the value of teamwork, setting goals, an active lifestyle, and are provided equal access to participating in school athletics. “I’m glad we are getting a chance to play” says Uliyah, a 4th grader in the YW’s Extended Day Program. “I always liked to play basketball and it’s really important to me. We’re learning all kinds of things like shooting and defense.”

The team has already received their uniforms, courtesy of NIKE, and is preparing for their first game in April!

“Sports is not a job. You need a skill set and point of entry.”

Those were just a few of the words of advice provided by the panelists at Wednesday night’s YWCA of the City of New York “Getting Into the Game!” event at the offices of Proskauer in Times Square.

The event, hosted by the YWCA’s Academy of Women Leaders in connection with Women’s History Month, brought together female executives in the sports industry. The executives shared their insights on the sports business, their work experiences, the future of women’s sports and how women are making more of an impact in an area long seen as an “old boys’ club.”

Margaret Dale, Jennifer Duberstein, Jennifer Vescio, Val Ackerman

The evening’s panelists were Val Ackerman, founding President of the WNBA and current Adjunct Professor of Sports Management at Columbia University; Jennifer Duberstein, Proskauer alumnae and Business Affairs executive with CAA Sports; and Jennifer Vescio, Vice President of Business Development at ESPN. Proskauer litigation partner Margaret Dale moderated the discussion before a packed room of attorneys, clients and sports fans looking to break into the highly competitive industry.

Ackerman spoke of her road from the basketball court as a player to the boardroom as one of the most influential women in the sports industry. Her dream was go to law school and then work as in-house counsel at a league. But despite her excellent academic credentials at UCLA law school and athletic experience, she got rejection letters because she had no legal experience. She worked as a corporate and banking associate at the New York law firm of Simpson Thacher and Bartlett in order to get that critical legal experience. The decision paid off as she went to work as a “utility lawyer” at the NBA in 1988 as the league was starting its expansion. Eight years later, Ackerman was named the WNBA’s first President.

“If you work hard and don’t complain and no job is too small and you’re good at what you do, doors open for you,” Ackerman said. “There’s no substitute for competency in any job.”

While she did experience great career success, Ackerman spoke of the challenges of being one of the only women at the NBA — and thus without a support system. She’s glad to see so many more women working in sports today and believes the numbers will increase (half of Ackerman’s students at Columbia are women).

Duberstein reflected on her experience at Proskauer and how it helped prepare the Michigan graduate and lifelong sports fan and athlete for a career in sports. While working at the firm, she learned “how to problem solve and use [my] judgment,” skills that prove indispensable in her role at CAA Sports and previously as Senior Counsel at Major League Soccer.

Duberstein has also seen an increase in the number of women on her team at CAA. When she joined CAA Sports in 2010, there were four women in sports who weren’t assistants; today there are ten. She also spoke of the importance of mentorship in career development, even in an informal capacity.

“The best mentors are those who you don’t need something from other than an opinion,” Duberstein said. “You can pick up the phone and ask for their advice.”

Vescio brought a different perspective to the panel as the only non-lawyer in the group. The former soccer player and UCLA Anderson School of Business graduate started her career at a startup before moving to established companies like CBS Interactive and now ESPN, where she focuses on deals relating to its content business. Vescio talked of the different lessons she’s learned working in both environments.

“In smaller companies you need to have a higher risk profile and be more creative with the color gray,” Vescio said. “At larger companies, you spend lots of time persuading and navigating the culture.”

When asked about a “glass ceiling” in the sports industry, Vescio emphasized that women are becoming more visible on the business side. At ESPN, two out of seven members of the company’s executive committee are women.

“We need to stop talking about it as a difference,” Vescio said.

Though it may be some time until we see a female commissioner of a major sports league, progress is being made. Wednesday night’s panel showed that women are getting in the game and provided advice and insight to ensure that more are on their way.

“Invest in us, we’ll rise to the top! Give us a little, we’ll grow a lot!” was one of many chants heard outside of City Hall on March 28, 2013. The YWCA of the City of New York, alongside Campaign for Children and many others, rallied in protest of the Mayor’s preliminary budget for fiscal year 2014 — a budget that includes $130 million in cuts to afterschool and early childhood education programs.

The proposed cuts could affect more than 47,000 children whose parents rely on the academic, emotional, and developmental support of after school programs. In addition, parents benefit from the peace of mind knowing their children are safe during the “danger zone” of 3 to 6 pm, when children are most likely to experiment with drugs and alcohol, and juvenile crime rates nearly triple.

The rally featured a number of presentations from City Council Members, supporters, and those most affected by the proposed cuts – children enrolled in afterschool programming. The YWCA Warriors, PS 327’s official YW step team, prepared and performed a special routine for the day.

With the support of so many individuals, organizations, and City Council members, New York raised its voice and sent a clear message to the Mayor – We need After School and Early Childhood Education programs!

Make your voice heard in support of after school and early childhood education programs by emailing the mayor and city council today.

Highlights

Three young women named Shamika, Zerlina and Bonnie, along with their television moderator named Eva, had us all quite riveted at a breakfast program on March 12th presented by the New York YWCA as part of its “Women’s History Month” series. Their topic was “Women Leaders as Agents of Social Change,” but it was their stories of achievement as women of color who have succeeded at an early age in prestigious fields and their thoughtful answers that really won our applause.

Marcia Sells (YWCA President), Bonnie Oliva, Danielle Moss-Lee (YWCA CEO) Merle McGee, (Chief Program Officer), Shamika Lee, Eva McKend, and Zerlina Maxwell

Shamika Lee, for example, who is currently the Director of East Coast Sales for BET Networks, grew up as a foster care child, but went from that background to graduate from the University of Pennsylvania, get an MBA from Harvard Business School and work as a Senior Manager at American Express for several years managing a $5 billion portfolio before changing to her current job “to influence more people.” She currently serves on the Board of Graham Wyndham House, the agency where she was once housed.

Bonnie Oliva credits an aunt and a teacher at De La Salle Academy in New York for being the early mentors who “treated me as an adult” so that she graduated from Wesleyan and has become a Global Operations Director at InVenture, a firm she co-created with the new business of providing a standardized global credit to customers with mobile phones. She has also worked as a bilingual specialist for a Women’s Business Center in Philadelphia and as a Manager for the New York City Small Business Department.

Zerlina Maxwell has taken perhaps the most visible route, recently appearing as a weekly guest and fill-in host with Mark Thompson on Sirius XM and as a democratic commentator on Fox News and MSNBC. Zerlina decided early on that she wanted to be a political analyst and in answer to questions, said that she had always been competitive “from the age of three” when she swam widths of a pool to later years starting her career when she chose to use social media to reach people in power, “to give them my point of view.”

Zerlina is a contributing writer for the Daily News, Feministing.com and Ebony.com and has also had her writings in The Washington Post, on CNN.com, The Huffington Post and many other publications. She seems to be fearless about expressing her views but tries to do it carefully, using humor and friendly connections along the way to balance any strong division of opinion. Nevertheless, she told us of a recent television session where she voiced her opinion on a sexual violence issue by saying that the group should talk about the responsibilities of the boys and men involved. As a result, she received some hundreds of crude and threatening Facebook and Twitter messages, and now knows fully the dangers of taking a public stand.

All three speakers were eloquent models of what young women can and should contribute to our modern world, and they urged that more businesses and bosses listen to younger women and help them on their careers. As they said, they have the technical knowledge for the future and can help older employers and leaders to use these techniques for better business, to share important opinions and to build a better world!

This 2013 series of Women’s History Month programs started with a first one on International Women, which included the World YWCA General Secretary, and then one on Women Leaders in New York City and a fourth on Women Leaders in Sports. Congratulations to the New York YWCA for finding such thoughtful and talented women and giving many of us a chance to hear them.

Connie Tate, March 2013

The Women’s Empowerment Network launched its second cycle for the year in March, and, on March 28th, the Career Speaker Series hosted Loretta Gannon, Cash Management Sales Officer at Popular Community Bank. Loretta led the women in an interactive workshop focused on creating compelling cover letters and resumes. During the workshop, Loretta discussed the importance of the cover letter as well as the keywords and phrases that effective cover letters should include. Participants also spoke about the importance of knowing their personal “brands” and tactics to make their brand messages emanate throughout the entire job application process.

Loretta Gannon (center) with Women's Empowerment Network attendees and WEN Program Coordinator Claudette Spence (right)

The YWCA and the Women’s Empowerment Network thanks Loretta Gannon and Popular Community Bank for supporting the professional development of women in New York City. For more information about the Women’s Empowerment Network or the Career Speaker Series, contact Claudette Spence at (212) 735-9773.

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In today’s competitive job market, networking is critical for women looking to secure employment leads and expand their professional circles. Still, approaching new people at networking events can be intimidating – leading many jobseekers to forego this critical career-building tactic. To help, on April 11th, Jamie Horst from Alcoa Foundation visited the Women’s Empowerment Network to impart key networking tips and boost participants’ confidence. Jamie covered a broad range of networking topics, including where to find networking events, how to strike up interesting conversations with other professionals, and how even the shyest people can overcome their fears and stay calm and confident. Participants discussed the importance of emphasizing their strengths and shared professional ways to stay in touch with new acquaintances.

The YWCA’s Women’s Empowerment Network thanks Jamie Horst and Alcoa Foundation for supporting the professional development of women in New York City. For more information about the Women’s Empowerment Network or the Career Speaker Series, contact Claudette Spence at (212) 735-9773.

Jamie Horst of Alcoa Foundation and Krissy Dunn of the YWCA with members of the Women’s Empowerment Network

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The YWCA’s garden at PS 90 may have been destroyed by Hurricane Sandy, but it is well on its way to recovery – thanks to the generous support of many new partners! The garden, which was built with pride by children in kindergarten through 5th grade but destroyed last year, recently received grants from the Whole Kids Foundation, Seeds of Change, Captain Planet Foundation, Muhammad Ali Peace Center, Yum! Brands Foundation and The National Gardening Association. With this wonderful support – including nearly $13,000 in cash plus gardening equipment- children will be able to rebuild the garden, their favorite hands-on classroom, while learning about health, nutrition, wellness, sustainability, and more. And, as they watch the fruits of their labor unfold, children develop a sense of personal pride and pride in their school.

“The garden has been an excellent forum to teach our students about important health and nutrition topics,” shared Ramy Fakhr, YWCA Site Director for PS 90. “A few days ago, one of the kindergartners raised his hand excitedly and informed us that he had had seeds for dinner the night before! He had recognized that the wheat and beans in his dinner were, in fact, seeds. As we move forward, the students and staff have made it our goal to make the garden even bigger and better than it was before! We are so grateful to the garden’s supporters for giving us the opportunity to do so!”

The YWCA thanks all of our garden supporters and looks forward to sharing updates about the garden’s development this summer. Be sure to follow the YWCA on Facebook and Twitter to watch our garden grow!

The YWCA’s Women’s Empowerment Network (WEN) recently participated in a full day of mock interviews sponsored by Goldman Sachs’ Community TeamWorks project!

On Monday, June 17^th, Goldman employees volunteered their time and talent to help WEN participants prepare for successful, confidence-driven interviews. The day began with a presentation by Galit Pearlman of Goldman’s Human Capital Management team, during which she shared interviewing and personal presentation advice. Then, through one-on-one interviews, resume critiques, and group interviews, WEN participants practiced their “elevator pitches,” learned how to answer some of the most difficult interview questions, and practiced controlling the flow and direction of interviews to best share their stories and emphasize their strengths.

Participants left the mock interview workshop beaming with confidence, gratitude and an eagerness to apply their new interviewing skills. In addition to improving the quality and content of their resumes, participants shared a newfound commitment to being themselves in interviews, focusing on their unique qualities, and speaking in an assertive, concise way.

The YWCA’s Women’s Empowerment Network thanks Goldman Sachs for providing this excellent opportunity to help women preparing to reenter the workforce. We also extend a special thanks to the day’s volunteers and project leaders including Susan Michaels, Danlin Zhou, Galit Pearlman, Melissa McQueen, Stacey Miller, and Ellen Coppa.

Goldman Sachs volunteers and Women's Empowerment Network participants pose after a successful day of interviewing.

On November 15, 2013 the YW introduces the Academy of Women Leaders Class of 2013 at the 40th Annual SALUTE Luncheon. We congratulate Amy Farnstrom on this recognition!

Amy Farnstrom has over 20 years’ experience in the Options Industry. She has held several positions during the course of her career, starting at the Pacific Exchange in 1991as an Order Book Official. She left the exchange to become a market maker, traded for 9 years, and concluded her market making career as Vice President at Goldman Sachs for Hull Trading, where she was a Lead Market Maker. After taking a short leave to enjoy being a new Mom, Amy returned to the Pacific Exchange and managed the user testing and roll out of PCX Plus, in addition to her role as Director of Client Services. The implementation of PCX Plus sparked an interest in technology design, and when Archipelago acquired the Pacific Exchange, Amy turned her focus to this role full time, helping design the Options trading platform for Arca.  Arca was then purchased by the NYSE, where she continued to work closely with clients, the business team, and IT to develop enhancements to the system. In 2008 NYSE acquired Amex options, and Amy led the design team to create a new trading platform for Amex, as well as a new system for open outcry trading.  Amy served 2 years as Co-CEO of Arca Options.  In 2012 she was appointed as SVP of US options, Head of Product Strategy and in that role focuses her efforts on strategic planning, design, and implementation of technology to support the 2 diverse market structures of NYSE Arca and NYSE Amex options. She has also led the effort to engage the west coast team in volunteering events as part of NYX Cares and is committed to acting as a mentor in the NYSE mentoring program. Amy attended Hastings college as a National Merit Scholar, has a Black Belt in Six Sigma from Villanova University, has attended Insead Business School for executive training and holds several patents for trading system design.   She lives with her awesome husband and amazing daughter, 2 dogs, and 2 cats in Oakland CA.

On November 15, 2013 the YW introduces the Academy of Women Leaders Class of 2013 at the 40th Annual SALUTE Luncheon. We congratulate Lauren Boglivi on this recognition!

A partner in Proskauer’s highly ranked M&A and Private Equity groups, Lauren Boglivi has developed an impressive transactional practice on behalf of strategic companies, private equity sponsors and family offices. She handles mergers and acquisitions involving both public and private companies in the U.S. and internationally; buyouts and related financings; joint ventures; acquisitions of distressed companies; and growth and seed investments. Her recent notable matters include representing Discovery Communications in a number of its corporate transactions, such as the recent sale of its online pet adoption Web site, Petfinder, to Nestlé Purina. Lauren also represented Empire City in negotiating a management agreement with Westchester Hospitality Management Company for new restaurants: Dan Rooney’s Café & Bar and Pinch, concepts developed with “celebrity chef” Alain Ducasse. Lauren’s leadership commitment also extends to serving as co-Chair of the firm’s Summer Program Committee and as a member of the Hiring Committee which oversees the firm’s recruitment efforts.  In addition, Lauren is a member of the Class of 1989 annual fundraising campaign at Wellesley College

Proskauer salutes Lauren K. Boglivi for her many achievements in the public and private sectors, her commitment to her clients, her pursuit of excellence, and her focus on the mentoring and training of junior lawyers.

On November 15, 2013 the YW introduces the Academy of Women Leaders Class of 2013 at the 40th Annual SALUTE Luncheon. We congratulate Colette Cribbin on this recognition!

Colette is a Partner in the Insurance Practice of the New York office of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC).  Colette has 24 years of experience providing accounting and auditing services to a broad range of global and domestic insurance and financial services companies.  She is an expert in property & casualty insurance, reinsurance, financial guarantee insurance, structured transactions and derivatives.  Colette has also been a market leader for the PwC New York Insurance practice for the past 6 years.   She spent the first 6 years of her career with PwC in London and she moved to New York in 1995.   She graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce degree from University College Dublin, Ireland.   She is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants In England and Wales and she holds CPA licences in New York, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Connecticut.  Colette lives in New York City with her husband.

On November 15, 2013 the YW introduces the Academy of Women Leaders Class of 2013 at the 40th Annual SALUTE Luncheon. We congratulate Laura Searle on this recognition!

Laura Searle joined the Rockefeller Group in 2002 and holds the position of Senior Manager in the company’s Internal Audit group.  She leads the Rockefeller Group construction audit program and is actively involved in managing various corporate wide initiatives including the Ethics Program.

Laura takes time to bright lives with her special gift of caring. She has been a hospice volunteer and a big buddy at a bereavement camp for children who have experience the death of a parent, sibling, or primary caregiver. Laura, aka Frosty the Snow “Person”, also volunteers with Holiday Express, an organization that works year-round delivering music, food, gifts, and human kindness to those most desperately in need and often forgotten.

Laura graduated from Kutztown University of Pennsylvania with a BS in Accounting. She is a CPA in the State of Pennsylvania and a member of the IIA, AICPA, NYSSCPA, and ACFE.

On November 15, 2013 the YW introduces the Academy of Women Leaders Class of 2013 at the 40th Annual SALUTE Luncheon. We congratulate Aleida Frederico on this recognition!

Al Frederico is Senior Vice President – Government Banking Group Manager at TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank. In this role, she provides customized banking solutions for municipal, small business, education and not-for-profit institutions in New York. Al joined TD Bank in 2005 and has 25 years of banking experience working in varied capacities with public sector customers, not-for-profits, small businesses and CRA/community development.

In 2009 she was a recipient of TD Bank’s CEO WOW! Leadership  Award.

Al is Co-Chair of TD Bank’s Regional Diversity Council for Metro New York and is a member of TD Bank’s WIL Women in Leadership subcommittee.  She serves on several business and not-for-profit boards. In 2011 she was appointed by New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo to the Mid-Hudson Regional Economic Development Council where she co-leads the Workforce Development workgroup and the MWBE (Minority and Women Owned Business and Enterprise) workgroup.  Ale’ also is an appointee to the Westchester County Industrial Development Agency, where she serves as Treasurer, and an appointee of former New York State Governor George Pataki to the Westchester Community College Board of Trustees. She serves as the Corporate Secretary of the Westchester County Association, and is a Board Member of White Plains Hospital Center. Finally, Al is Chair and a past President of the Westchester Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and a founding Board Member of 100 Hispanic Women Leaders – Westchester Chapter.

In 2010, Al was named a “WOW” Working Woman of Westchester and featured in the Westchester County Business Journal. She has been the recipient of various awards including the Long Island Hispanic Chamber of Commerce’s 2012 Corporate Leadership Award, the New York City Hispanic Chamber’s 2009 Hispanic Corporate Leadership Award, the Mercy College Exito Award, the Paramount Center for the Arts Corporate Award, the Association of Hispanic Professionals Award of Honor, the Corporate Recognition Award from St. Jude’s Institute for Human Dynamics, and the Westchester Hispanic Coalition’s Community Leader Award.  Al was one of El Diario La Prensa’s 50 Distinguished Latinas of 2000.

On November 15, 2013 the YW introduces the Academy of Women Leaders Class of 2013 at the 40th Annual SALUTE Luncheon. We congratulate Linda McGuigan on this recognition!

Linda is the Senior Vice President of Retail Banking in TD Bank’s Metro Carolinas Market, responsible for overseeing all retail banking for 98 TD Bank stores throughout Greenville, Columbia, Charleston, Asheville and Myrtle Beach, including retail and small business sales and service.

Prior to taking on her current role in February 2011, Ms. McGuigan was the Senior Vice President of Retail for TD’s Metro Philadelphia Market, overseeing all retail banking for 220+ stores throughout Southern New Jersey, Eastern Pennsylvania and Delaware.

With more than 20 years of banking experience, Linda held increasingly senior roles at institutions including Columbia Savings and Loan and Covenant Bank prior to joining TD Bank in 1998.

Linda is a graduate of Rutgers University.

On November 15, 2013 the YW introduces the Academy of Women Leaders Class of 2013 at the 40th Annual SALUTE Luncheon. We congratulate Jill Paulanski on this recognition!

Joining TD Bank in 1995, Jill started as an Assistant Store Manager at our Hackensack location in NJ.  Through developing her team members, delivering Legendary Customer Experience and excelling at expanding sales relationships, Jill later acquired the Store Manager position in the same location. Here she also was heavily involved in outreach to the community where she held the title of first female President of the local Hackensack Rotary Club.

In 2001 Jill was promoted to a regional position where she earned the Retail Market Manager role for our Stores in Passaic County NJ and later in our Bergen County NJ region.  She continued to inspire Store Managers to exceed Customer Expectations while also developing sales opportunities.

Promoted to the Senior Retail Market Manager of our Northern NJ Market in 2005, Jill was responsible for overseeing Sales and Service for approximately 60 Store locations. She continued to engage the team with passion and resilience. As the Sr. Retail Market Manager, Jill was responsible for not only leading the Market, she was accountable to our Customer’s and most importantly our Community!

Integration Lead was Jill’s next role, where she partnered with the SVP of Retail and Sr. Retail Operations Officer of our Central and Northern NJ Markets in leading and executing change and process enhancements for over 200 Stores. With her dedication and passion in this role, she was the recipient of the Chairman’s Service Award.

Jill transitioned her leadership talents in 2010 to the Operations side of the organization where she lead the Central and Northern New Jersey Markets which later expanded across the river to New York as the Sr. Retail Operations Officer. Here she led a team of Retail Operations Officers to deliver Operational Excellence while inspiring leadership through impact and influence.

In 2012 Jill acquired the role of Sr. Retail Operations Director of the Metro New York Market where she now leads the charge in Operational Excellence for approximately 300 Stores throughout the greater Metro New York area. Jill’s solid partnerships throughout the organization and her passion for leadership continue to be the key to her success. In March of this year, Jill’s passion for our Customers, Community and TD Bank, led her to be honored with the Legendary Leadership Award at our annual WOW! Awards Ceremony and was the recipient of the most prestigious recognition; the Vision In Action Award which is awarded to only the top 1 percent of TD Financial Employees world-wide.

Jill is a graduate of Farleigh Dickinson University, grew up in Manalapan NJ and now lives in Ramsey  NJ.

On November 15, 2013 the YW introduces the Academy of Women Leaders Class of 2013 at the 40th Annual SALUTE Luncheon. We congratulate Lindsay Sacknoff on this recognition!

As Senior Vice President of Retail Deposit Products and Pricing at TD Bank, Lindsay is responsible for a portfolio of over 4 million banking households, over 1.6 billion in revenue, and delivering on the promise of America’s Most Convenient Bank.

Lindsay joined TD in 2010 as the Head of Non-Interest Income.  Later that year, she was awarded TD Bank’s highest honor, Vision in Action, for her leadership in TD Bank’s response to changing regulation.  Lindsay is an active member of TD’s Women in Leadership program, the Leukemia Lymphoma society, and mentors in the community.

Prior to TD Bank, Lindsay was a Senior Principal at Fiserv where she was a trusted advisor to large Financial Institutions.  She managed teams to deliver engagements to meet clients’ profitability and customer experience goals.

Lindsay earned her Bachelor of the Arts degree in Economics and Psychology with honors from Vanderbilt University.  She currently resides in Haddonfield, New Jersey.

On November 15, 2013 the YW introduces the Academy of Women Leaders Class of 2013 at the 40th Annual SALUTE Luncheon. We congratulate Kathy O’Connor on this recognition!

Kathy O’Connor is a Litigation partner in Weil’s New York office. She has been a litigator for over 20 years and has been recognized by leading legal publications, including The Legal 500 (US) 2011. Ms. O’Connor brings a unique perspective to the practice because of her experience as an in-house lawyer at Merck, where she managed the Vioxx® litigation.

Since leaving Merck for private practice, Ms. O’Connor focuses on commercial disputes, complex product liability claims, consumer fraud class actions, licensing and co-development disputes, and government investigations. She regularly advises clients on overall strategy and coordination issues, particularly in complex matters involving concurrent civil and government actions. Ms. O’Connor consults regularly with clients to manage and mitigate risk.

Ms. O’Connor received her J.D. from Boston University School of Law and her B.A. from Florida State University. Ms. O’Connor serves on the Board of Directors of New York Live Arts.