From the field to the auditorium, Riordan’s family spirit runs deep within the veins of the school. Through friendly house rivalries, purple and gold pride, and a shared affinity to the alma mater, the Crusader community is the epitome of four houses unified under one roof. However, for some members of Riordan’s community, the treasured family spirit assumes more literal meaning.
Meet Sally Alioto O’Connell: Riordan’s Admissions Associate, responsible for the growth of the Crusader family every year. Mrs. O’Connell manages the Knights of Riordan club, where she works to organize the Crusader for a Day program, open houses, and prospective student events.
Mrs. O’Connell has been working at Riordan since 2012, when Riordan was an all boys school. However in 2021, her daughter Caroline O’Connell entered Riordan’s first in-person coed class.
“It was very different because when I first started working here it was all boys, so in my mind there was never a possibility to have my kids at school with me,” said Mrs. O’Connell.
Reflecting on her time before her daughter arrived at school, she added, “It was a very definite separation between work life and home life.”
When Caroline enrolled in Riordan however, the “lines got a little blurrier” and the O’Connells learned to adjust to their new shared environment.
Riordan senior Caroline O’Connell, the 2024-2025 Student Body President, spends her time between classes bouncing between the student activities center and flag football practices. Daughter of Sally and John O’Connell ’84, Caroline, was raised around Riordan.
“Growing up with this school inspired me to be a bigger part of the change that I grew up witnessing. Throughout the years I watched Riordan go from 600 students to double. With a larger student body with more demographics, I observed more and more opportunities and accomplishments happen.”
As Riordan’s first solo female president, Caroline has been a direct witness to the abundant change Riordan has undergone in the past four years.
Beyond that, she grew up surrounded by the school, visiting her mom and work and cheering at every basketball game.
“I knew she’d loved this place, even when it was all boys, because it was her second home in many ways,” said Mrs. O’Connell.
This year, the newest edition to Riordan from the O’Connell family, Hannah O’Connell, joined the Riordan staff. Hannah graduated from UC Santa Barbara in 2024 with a degree in physiological and brain studies, along with communications. Hannah is actively pursuing a PhD in family communication studies. At Riordan, she works in the RSP department as a math and science aide.
“I’m most looking forward to witnessing the growth of the students over the course of the year and developing my ability to support students,” Hannah stated.
Growing up in San Francisco and attending Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory, Hannah has observed Riordan’s evolution: “The seamless integration of girls into the school is a testament to the dedication and skill of our faculty and staff. Every year, Riordan becomes more impressive, both academically and athletically and I’m excited to jump on the bandwagon.”
When it comes to Riordan’s community, Mrs. O’Connell stated, “Even before, when I started here with all boys, that was a very special part of Riordan. The experiences my kids had going to other schools…I never felt a sense of community as a parent there.”
She continued, “But I could see that we had it here, that’s always been very special. To be able to have that community affect both my kids in different ways–Caroline being a student leader and Hannah working here–what a blessing. They can see what I have been talking about all these years, they are in the middle of it, they are living it.”
After their respective days of work, the O’Connell women head home for family dinner with John O’Connell, Riordan alumnus from the all boys class of 1984.
“Now, we just need to convince my dad to join us at work so he doesn’t feel left out during dinner conversations,” added Hannah.
