Maura Rafferty – A Quiet Backstage Presence in a Spotlight Family

Updated on: August 11, 2025

Basic Information

A backstage portrait — family, dates, small luminous moments

I love biographies that feel like backstage passes: you walk past velvet curtains, you catch a snippet of conversation, you glimpse the faces that make the show possible. Maura Rafferty reads like one of those indispensable, unflashy crew members — someone whose name shows up in the program only when you look close. She’s primarily visible through the bright, public arc of her younger sister, Sarah Rafferty (born December 6, 1972), best known as Donna Paulsen on Suits. But Maura’s story—thin on headlines and rich in quiet details—has its own texture.

Let’s anchor a few hard points in the timeline. In 1987, Maura appears in an engagement announcement: at roughly age 23–24, she was described as a portfolio assistant at Kidder, Peabody & Company in New York City and engaged to Christopher H. Craig, a vice president at the same firm. That single newspaper entry is one of the clearest public markers of her adult life. After that, the public trail grows intentionally faint — which, in its way, says something about Maura’s chosen rhythm: private, stable, and out of the celebrity spin.

Family anchors the narrative. Their parents—Michael G. Rafferty Jr., a finance professional who painted in oils, and Mary Lee “Mimi” Rafferty, an English teacher—created a household steeped in books, art, and steady suburban life across Greenwich and New Canaan, Connecticut. Four daughters grew up in that orbit: Ann, Constance (“Connie”), Maura, and Sarah. If Sarah’s career is the bright marquee, Maura and her sisters are the supporting cast who show up at every curtain call — a small chorus of encouragement and competence. I like to picture family dinners where an English-teacher mother nudged storytelling along, where oil-painted landscapes watched over practical conversations about work, marriage, and the world.

Family snapshot (quick table)

Career, public mentions, and name-mates — parsing what’s public and what’s private

When a person’s life prefers shadow to spotlight, every public line becomes more meaningful. Maura’s 1987 engagement announcement is concrete: job title, partner-to-be, family names — the kind of formal snapshot newspapers used to preserve. Beyond that, most references are contextual: thank-you notes in a sister’s Instagram post, sidebar mentions in celebrity biographies, occasional local mentions connecting a Maura Rafferty (or Rafferty Craig) to New Canaan or Bondville.

It’s worth being deliberate about a point many readers will wonder about: there are multiple people named Maura Rafferty in public records through the 2010s and 2020s. For instance, the name surfaces in health and administrative salary disclosures, in professional posts (a clinical social worker labeled MSW, LCSW appears in 2025 workplace materials), and in registries tied to different geographies. These are very likely distinct people who simply share the same name — a reminder of how easy it is to conflate identities when the online footprint is small.

Because that footprint is small, there’s no verified public net worth, no long résumé of public achievements, and no scandal to sensationalize — which, to my mind, is refreshing. Maura’s public portrait is domestic, practical, and protective: engaged in professional work in the late 1980s, connected to traditional New England communities, and occasionally stepping into the frame when family calls for it.

Public mentions by year — a minimalist timeline

The understated cultural role: why people like Maura matter in celebrity stories

If pop culture is a town square, Maura is the neighbor who brings fresh-baked bread and the firm handshake. She’s not a headline; she’s the infrastructure that allows headlines to exist. In the age when celebrity family lore gets stretched into grand narratives, Maura is a reminder that not every life wants that oxygen — and some of the most steady human presences are content to remain steady.

I often imagine the cinematic scene: a hallway lined with family photos, a sister stepping into the light for a moment to help with logistics, to hold a cardigan, to proofread a note — a Donna Paulsen moment offstage. That’s the kind of quiet cameo Maura’s public trace suggests: small, precise, indispensable.

FAQ

Who is Maura Rafferty?

Maura Rafferty is best known publicly as one of the older sisters of actress Sarah Rafferty; she maintains a low public profile and was described in 1987 as a portfolio assistant in New York.

Is Maura Rafferty married?

She was reported engaged to Christopher H. Craig in 1987; later records sometimes show her as Maura Rafferty Craig, but it’s unclear from public information whether that engagement proceeded to a long-term marriage.

How old is Maura Rafferty?

Her exact birthdate is not publicly listed; based on family birth order and contextual clues she is likely in her mid-to-late 50s or older as of 2025.

Does Maura Rafferty have children?

No public records or reliable mentions confirm children for the Maura Rafferty associated with Sarah Rafferty.

What did Maura do for work?

A 1987 announcement lists her as a portfolio assistant at Kidder, Peabody & Company in New York City; later professional details are not publicly documented.

Is Maura the same person as other professionals named Maura Rafferty?

Not necessarily — there are several people with the same name in public records (including a clinical social worker and administrative salary listings), and those are likely distinct individuals.

Where does Maura live?

Public mentions associate her with New Canaan, Connecticut, and Bondville, Vermont, but current residency is not confirmed in public records.

Why is Maura mentioned in media?

Her name appears mainly in family contexts — engagement announcements and social-media acknowledgements by Sarah Rafferty — rather than as a subject of independent media coverage.