Mary OConnor
Mary O'Connor is the Director of Outreach for the Center for the Study of the Presidency in Washington, D.C., an organization designed to study the successes and failures of the past presidents and apply these studies to current presidential endeavors.
Mary became involved in politics while attending Trinity College in Washington, D.C. While earning her bachelor's degree in political science, she served as president of the Young Democrats.
This early leadership in the political arena helped build the foundation for her future career, which has included time as Georgia Finance Chair for the Elizabeth Dole for President campaign and the Dole for Senate 2002 leadership team.
An advocate for America's youth, Mary served a two-year term as national president of the Achievement Rewards for College Scientists Foundation, Inc., a non-profit foundation that, since 1958, has awarded scholarships to U.S citizen-scholars in the fields of science, engineering and medicine. She currently serves on the ARCS Foundation advisory board.
While living in Atlanta she founded Mary B. O'Connor and Associates, a community relations firm that provides clients with a structured contributions strategy and targeted leadership roles in communities in the Southeast.
She also served as executive vice president of SciTrek, the Science and Technology Museum of Atlanta.
Mary, who has received numerous honors, served on the board of the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau, St. Joseph's Hospital of Atlanta Foundation.
She was the vice president of the Junior League of Atlanta, and has been inducted into the YWCA of Greater Atlanta's Academy of Women Achievers.
She was named Woman of the Year by the Atlanta Women's Commerce Club, and has also been recognized with the American Institute for Public Service's Jefferson Award for Outstanding Public Service and the WXIA-TV Atlanta Community Service Award.
Both sets of Mary's family emigrated from Ireland. Her paternal grandfather, Thomas P. Bagley, was born in the Parish of Ballinacourty, Co. Kerry, and arrived in America in 1882. Her maternal grandfather, Thomas Hannigan, left Drimoleague, County Cork, in the late 1800s at the age of 18.
When asked why he left Ireland for America, he responded: "Because America needed us." \
Of this spirit Mary, who lives in Alexandria, Virginia, says, "That confidence continues to trickle down through generations, culminating in my terrific opportunity to serve as Attache; from the Republic of Ireland for the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. That experience brought my Irish heritage to full circle!"
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