Michael O'Neill Reappointed As Vice Chair For The Boston School Committee

The Boston School Committee is the governing body of Boston Public Schools. Vice Chair O’Neill’s term was set to expire in January 2025.

 “I am grateful to reappoint Vice Chair Michael O’Neill to the Boston School Committee,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “His dedication to our school communities and our city continues to shape BPS toward its fullest potential, and I am thankful that we will continue to benefit from his knowledge, experience, and vision. I also want to thank Chair Will Thomas and the entire Nominating Panel for their work to identify such a strong pool of candidates and to express my deep gratitude to each of the finalists for their dedication to our public schools. I look forward to working with each of them in the years ahead.”

“I am humbled that Mayor Wu would ask me to continue to serve, and I’m honored to continue this important work,” said School Committee Vice Chair Michael O’Neill. “Boston Public Schools faces some big challenges ahead, but I continue to be energized and look forward to working with my fellow members and Superintendent Skipper to make a difference for our students.”

“Michael O’Neill has given so much to our schools, students and families over the last 16 years as a member of the Boston School Committee and I am thrilled Mayor Wu has reappointed him for another term,” said Superintendent Mary Skipper. “As a graduate of BPS and a leader in our community, this work is personal for Michael. He is one of the greatest champions for our schools and students and he cares deeply about their success because he knows our students’ success is our future.”

The School Committee is responsible for:

• Defining the vision, mission, and goals of the Boston Public Schools;
• Establishing and monitoring the annual operating budget;
• Hiring, managing, and evaluating the Superintendent; and
• Setting and reviewing district policies and practices to support student achievement.

Since 2020, O’Neill has served as Vice Chair of the Boston School Committee, where he has played a key role in improving the quality and stability of the district’s leadership and governance. His efforts have been instrumental in driving meaningful improvements in urban education, and in addition to his local work, he has been influential in shaping urban education policy across the country, advancing initiatives that promote equity, opportunity, and achievement for students in major cities. O’Neill served as Chair of the Board of Directors of the Council of Great City Schools, a coalition of the nation’s 76 largest city school districts, from 2020-2021. Alongside Superintendent Skipper, he continues to represent Boston Public Schools on the Board of Directors.

Vice Chair O’Neill is a life-long Boston resident and BPS graduate, with more than 25 years of experience in Boston’s top financial services firms. He currently serves as Executive Vice President at Zozimus Agency. O’Neill served as Chair of the Boston School Committee from 2013-2017, and has also served as Chair of the Private Industry Council’s Youth Council, overseeing all federal Workforce Investment Act funding for youth initiatives. 

He is a graduate of Boston Latin School, Boston College, Babson College, the Stonier Graduate School of Banking, and the Royal Bank of Scotland/Harvard Business School Executive Leadership Program.

Mayor Wu previously announced a call for applications to the Boston School Committee in November. More information about the Boston School Committee can be found here.