Ona Louisa McConnell served on the Board of Directors from 2010-2014. She is both a US citizen and British subject. She was raised in London and Kronberg im Taunus, Germany. Ona attended local German schools for 6 years before returning to London to complete high school. While in Germany, she became fluent in German and developed a keen interest in field hockey. She was the goalie for the team that won the Hessen State Championship.
Ona continued to play field hockey as a goalie throughout high school in London. In addition to her high school’s varsity team, Ona was also part of a high level UK women’s team. She was coached by the UK Men’s Olympic Goalie Coach and won a number of international awards. In the spring of 2009, Ona graduated from the American School in London. In the fall she enrolled as a freshman at Yale University where she was a goalie on the varsity Division I field hockey team.
Ona was diagnosed with myotonic dystrophy in the spring of 2010 and joined the MDF Board of Directors later that spring.
