Kelly O’Connor 1

Kelly O’Connor has worked for over ten years in community organizing to reduce underage drinking and substance use in her community. She is the Prevention Services Manager at Oak Park Township and the Drug-Free Communities Grant Coordinator for the Workgroup for Positive Youth Development (+PYD). Prior to that, Kelly coordinated a Strategic Prevention Framework-Partnership for Success grant from the Illinois Department of Human Services. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Human Services and a master’s degree in Conflict Resolution from Dominican University. She is a certified Mediator and Circle Keeper as well as Parent Coach and Administrator for FACE IT, an evidence informed alcohol and drug education program for teens and their families. Kelly is passionate in reducing stigma and providing opportunities for youth and their families faced with substance use challenges. She is a Board Member for Serenity Academy of Chicago, a recovery high school in the making and a member of the Alcohol Policy Resource Center Advisory Council at Prevention First. She has four children, a dog, and loves to spend her free time in Northern Michigan on the lake and out West in the mountains.