Rita O’Connor

EVP, Chief Financial & Operations Officer

Rita has over 30 years of experience in finance leadership in both public and private pharmaceutical and consumer product companies. She joined the Afaxys Board in February 2024 and also served on the Finance and Audit Committee before her appointment to Executive Vice President, Chief Financial and Operations Officer.

Most recently, Rita was Chief Financial Officer and Head of Manufacturing and Supply Chain of PLx Pharma Inc., a publicly-traded company with a commercialized cardiovascular product. Previously, she served as the Chief Financial Officer and Chief Information Officer at Xanodyne Pharmaceuticals, Inc., an integrated specialty pharmaceutical company focused on pain management and women’s health. She also served as Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of Adams Respiratory Therapeutics, Inc., a publicly traded, specialty pharmaceutical company focused on OTC and prescription products for the treatment of respiratory disorders. Rita has also held the position of Chief Financial Officer of Kent Place School, an all-girls college preparatory school, and served as Board Director and Chairperson of the Audit committee for uLab Systems, Inc. an orthodontic company and for Essential Group, a privately held CRO.

Rita began her career at Deloitte, held positions of increasing responsibility at Schering-Plough, and is a licensed certified public accountant with a Bachelor of Science in accounting from Rutgers University.