Tom O’Connor is a policy analyst for FOCUS, specializing in education, real estate, mortgage, foreclosure and housing issues.

Tom earned his Master of Arts in Teaching, with an Advanced Certificate in Special Education, from Relay Graduate School of Education in June 2023. Prior to that, he graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Government and a Minor in History from the College of William and Mary. During his years of study, Tom developed a deep understanding of American politics, the ability to utilize databases and data programs effectively and a tenacious work ethic. He was active on campus, serving as President of the Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity and becoming a founding member of The Lemon Project Society, which facilitated discussions on race in society, raised funds for the establishment of a monument commemorating the slaves that built the College of William and Mary and conducted research on William and Mary's involvement in slave trading. He also volunteered with the American Foundation for Suicide and One Child Center for Autism.

Before coming to FOCUS, Tom spent two years as a high school social studies teacher (including teaching courses on US History, Human Geography, Economics and Civics) with Teach for America at Christina School District in Delaware. His teaching experience helped him develop the strong reflection and relationship-building skills that lay the foundation for his customer service mindset. He also served as the high school’s softball team coach.

The Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania native is a self-described movie nerd who spends his spare time hiking with his dog and playing chess. He can also name any song by The Lumineers by just listening to the first two seconds – a skill we’ll be putting to the test at the next FOCUS company party.