Legislative and Regulations Specialist

Rod O’Connor joined the Department of Developmental Services (DDS) in December 2007 after nearly 10 years with the Connecticut General Assembly.  For nine legislative sessions, he was the clerk of the Select Committee on Children.  As clerk, he was involved in developing the committee’s legislative agenda, tracking and advocating for the committee’s bills and ensuring public access to the committee’s varied hearings, meetings and forums.

As DDS’s Legislative and Regulations Specialist, Rod is responsible for implementing the department’s legislative program, monitoring legislation and the regulatory process, developing intra-governmental relations, participating in policy drafting and management, assisting with governmental communication, and responding to legislative inquiries regarding constituent issues.

Prior to getting his Masters in Social Work, Mr. O’Connor worked as a store manager for Barnes and Noble at Westfield State College.  While living in New York, he worked for Paine, Webber and at Lincoln Center. His first job out of college was as a teacher at the Work Opportunity Center in West Springfield, MA where he taught life skills to persons with severe mental retardation who were being transitioned from Belchertown and Monson State Hospitals.

Mr. O’Connor received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Drama from Kenyon College, Gambier, OH and a Masters degree in Social Work from the University of Connecticut School of Social Work, West Hartford, CT.