Patricia is Deputy Chancellor at the University of Canberra and a Council Member at the Australian Institute of Marine Science. She is a Director of DMTC, a not-for-profit company facilitating research and collaboration between Defence, defence industry and the research sector, and a Director of Co-operative Research Australia (formerly the CRC Association). She currently chairs the National Youth Science Forum and the Australian SKA Regional Centre.

Patricia had a public sector career spanning over thirty years. Between 2013 and 2018 she was Director-General of IP Australia (the Australian patent and trade mark office). Before joining IP Australia, Patricia was a Deputy Secretary in Commonwealth departments responsible for industry, science and innovation from 2004 -2013. Her experience included nine years as a member of the Co-operative Research Centres Committee (2004-2013).