 taskforce on sex crimes and violence against women and children.She serves on the Board of Directors of the St. John's University School of Law Alumni Association and the Maternity & Early Childhood Foundation.In January 2007, O'Connell was selected as the Republican, Conservative, and Independence candidate for the open 7th State Senatorial District in a special election, called by Governor Eliot Spitzer to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Senator Michael A.L.