Pat attended Slippery Rock University, where he majored in public administration, following his graduation from Ambridge High School. He then earned a Master's degree from Shippensburg University and received the Dixon University Center's Outstanding Graduate Student Scholarship. Pat remains involved with his alma mater, serving as the President of the Pennsylvania Council of Alumni Associations and on Slippery Rock's Board of Directors.

Pat's education is supplemented by a broad range of experience in public service and economic development. He served as the Director of Legislative Liaison in the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue. In this position, Pat helped Pennsylvanians resolve problems with the Department. He also helped develop two major tax cut packages that expanded the income limits for the state's poverty tax exemption, cut taxes that were preventing small businesses from growing and hiring new employees, and innovated new programs like the successful Keystone Opportunity Zone.

Building upon his tax and economic development expertise, Pat joined then-state Senate Finance Committee Chairman Melissa Hart as Executive Director of the Committee. There, Pat helped steer the state's first major reduction in the death tax, helping family owned businesses and farms survive another generation.

In 1999, Pat decided to come home and put his economic development skills to work for the region. Serving as Congresswoman's District Director, Pat set up the district offices and handled federal appropriations requests. Pat's work helped bring back millions of dollars for key regional water and sewer, job training, library, and other projects. Pat also worked closely with municipal, labor, and business officials to ensure that the federal government was responding to local needs.

Pat's political experience includes working for Hart's Senate and Congressional elections and working to re-elect Governor Tom Ridge. Additionally, Pat was a campaign coordinator for the successful Jill Rangos campaign for Court of Common Pleas, where Rangos beat 20-1 registration odds to win.

Pat later returned to Beaver County to work toward making the region a better place to live and work for young people, families, and seniors. He decided to put his state legislative experience, tax and budget policy knowledge, and understanding of economic development programs and priorities to work by running for the 16th Legislative House District in 2004.