Patricia has devoted a significant portion of her life working toward educational reform and advancing educational excellence for low-income children. She currently serves as the board chair for “Empower College Prep,” a start-up college preparatory charter school that serves low-income families in central Phoenix. Patricia is also a board member for the Arizona Charter School Association, and was recently appointed to the Arizona Board of Education, by Governor Ducey. Patricia has also served her community by serving on the board of Genesis, an alternative high school that works to re-enroll those students that have dropped out of high school, as well as the United Way, the Self Employment Loan Fund, the Heard Museum, and the International Baccalaureate Parents Association at Desert Mountain High School.

Before starting her own consulting firm to provide guidance to start-up and emerging growth companies in strategic planning, marketing and financial planning, Patricia spent more than 15 years working in the corporate world with Wells Fargo Bank, MedAir and MicroAge. In 2001, Patricia moved into the non-profit sector to join the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago as project leader for the development of a charter school and later as the interim Executive Director for an inner city performing arts center. Returning to Arizona in 2005, Patricia spent six years with Powers Young & Company, providing consulting, strategic planning and fundraising services to Arizona not-for-profit organizations, such as Valley of the Sun YMCA, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Banner Healthcare, Phoenix Children’s Museum and the Cactus Pine Council of Girls Scouts.

Patricia and her husband, Michael (past president of Bank One Arizona), have spent nearly a quarter of a century in Arizona balancing career, family, spirit and fun while raising their three children. Well known for their family bicycling trips in destinations around the world, they also enjoy golfing, hiking, skiing and rooting for the Arizona Cardinals. The Welborn’s have financially supported several education causes in Arizona and have established a college scholarship fund that benefits first generation students from low income circumstances. With their children grown, Patricia and Michael reside in the valley with their two adopted Labradors.