in November 2020; two years later, they’ve made another significant move.
O’Connor’s path to this spot was, in some ways, unintentional. She was a high school athlete in New Jersey — playing basketball, tennis, soccer and softball — and went to college at Rutgers and New York University, first studying computers, then finance. O’Connor has seen progress. Attendance this past season was up 12% over 2019, the last time there was a full season of baseball without pandemic interruptions or major restrictions — though there is still a long way to go before Miami gets the crowds it is seeking.
The growing role of women in baseball leadership isn’t lost on O’Connor. Griggs leads the Mariners; Laura Day is Minnesota’s executive vice president and chief business officer; Kellie Fischer has a similar role in Texas, as the Rangers’ EVP and chief financial officer.