Stephen A. O'Brien

Stephen (Steve) Anthony O'Brien passed away after a 7+ year battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (commonly known as ALS). He was 48. Steve died (at home/in hospice care), surrounded by his wife, Julianne (née Visbal) and two young sons, John (9) and James (5). 

Born and raised in San Jose, CA, Steve was a product of Bellarmine College Preparatory where he was a multi-sport varsity athlete (soccer and track). He earned a Bachelor of Arts in History/Economics in 1998 from Santa Clara University where he was a member of the Broncos' men's cross-country program. 

After earning a law degree in 2001 from the University of Southern California's Gould School of Law and a short stint as a transactional finance and real estate attorney, Steve embarked on a career in college athletic administration. At the time of his death, Steve was Director of Athletics at Saint Martin’s University in Lacey, WA. He had previously served in various athletic administration roles at Santa Clara University, the University of California Santa Barbara, the United States Naval Academy and San Jose State University.

Steve embraced the Jesuit philosophy of cura personalis (a care for the whole person) and the importance of being "Men for Others.” A strong proponent of the student-athlete model in higher education, he was adept at utilizing intercollegiate athletics to unify university communities and engage diverse external constituencies.

Steve was widely known in industry circles for his integrity and an unwavering commitment to the safety and well-being of student-athletes. In 2021, he was honored with a Civic Commendation by the San Jose City Council for the integral role he played in ending a decade-long student-athlete abuse scandal at San Jose State University. 

In lieu of flowers, the family has established 529 Education Accounts for John and James, and invites people to email [email protected] for additional information.