Anne M. Falvey
41st Annual Humanitarian Award Recipient
Forward with Compassion
Donate in Honor of Anne
Anne M. Falvey has served on the Board of Directors of Catholic Guardian Services since 2014 and began her term as Board Chair in January 2025. Over more than a decade of service, Anne’s admiration for the agency’s work has deepened, strengthening her belief in the values that guide it: the inherent dignity of every person and our shared responsibility to honor it through compassion and service.
For Anne, the mission of Catholic Guardian Services is deeply human. She believes in meeting children, adults, and families where they are, treating every person with compassion and respect, and walking alongside them through difficult moments in their lives. This approach reflects a fundamental principle of Catholic social teaching: that every human life has inherent worth and dignity, regardless of circumstances, challenges, or background.
That belief has been reinforced through Anne’s experiences visiting Catholic Guardian Services programs and meeting the people who bring the mission to life each day. At the Harmony Hub Family Enrichment Center in the Bronx, she saw a community space created not simply for families, but with them, a place where parents, children, and neighbors feel safe, heard, and invested in the solutions that affect their lives. For Anne, that experience reflected something essential about Catholic Guardian Services: meaningful service begins with listening, affirms the inherent dignity of every person, respects their voices and experiences, and empowers communities to grow stronger together.
Her commitment to Catholic Guardian Services is also rooted in the organization’s Catholic identity and its long tradition of putting faith into action, caring for people who are vulnerable, protecting children, strengthening families, and building bridges across communities. Central to that mission is the belief that human dignity is not something to be earned or granted, but something inherent in every person. Anne's leadership reflects the responsibility to serve others with empathy, humility, and compassion, ensuring that those whose lives are touched by Catholic Guardian Services are not simply recipients of care, but individuals whose voices, experiences, and aspirations matter.
As Board Chair, Anne is helping Catholic Guardian Services build on nearly 140 years of service while looking toward the future, ensuring that the organization continues to evolve with the needs of New Yorkers while remaining grounded in the values that have always defined its mission. Her leadership reflects an enduring commitment to helping those most in need, creating hope, strengthening families, and preserving the dignity of every human person.
Anne recently retired from Sidley Austin LLP, where she served as Chief Knowledge Officer, following a distinguished legal career that included serving as a partner in the firm’s New York office and a member of its corporate practice group. She earned her A.B. from Smith College and her J.D., magna cum laude, from Boston College Law School. A native New Yorker, she resides in Manhattan with her husband, Dan O’Connell.
Following a long career in the corporate world, Dan taught at a New York City charter high school and volunteers with nonprofits to promote financial literacy and assist those struggling to manage their finances. Anne and Dan raised two children who continue their family’s commitment to service in their own ways.