Biography

Maureen O’Connor, Ph.D., J.D., served as President of Palo Alto University (PAU) from 2016 to 2025. Prior to joining PAU, President O’Connor spent nearly 20 years at the City University of New York (CUNY) as a tenured professor of psychology and in multiple leadership roles at John Jay College and the Graduate Center. President O’Connor completed a Ph.D. and J.D. in a dual degree program in psychology, law, and policy at the University of Arizona and clerked for the late Honorable Patricia Wald, then Chief Judge of the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals prior to launching her academic career. An American Psychological Association (APA) Fellow, she has held numerous governance roles in APA, including as Chair of its Task Force on Human Rights. 

She was active in the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues (SPSSI/APA Division 9) for many years, including serving as its President. Included in her scholarly publications is the book, Teaching Psychology: An Evidence-Based Approach (2019), with co-authors Drs. Jill Grose-Fifer and Patricia Brooks, published by Wiley Press. She is a member of the 39th class of the American Leadership Fellows program of Silicon Valley, serves on the Executive Committee of the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities, and is a Commissioner of the WASC Senior College and University Commission. 

She was selected as a 2025 Woman of Influence by the Silicon Valley Business Journal and received a congressional recognition for her leadership and service at Palo Alto University from U.S. Congressman Sam Licardo.