A community development specialist with expertise in forging linkages between conservation and human well-being, Patrick joined the Peace Corps in 1988, where he was posted to Tanzania.
He joined the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) in 1990 and spent six years working with the Tanzania National Parks Authority to establish a national program of park outreach to surrounding communities. In 1999, he was appointed Vice President of African Operations for AWF. In his capacity as vice president, Patrick supervised AWF's two major initiatives - African Heartlands and Conservation Service Centers.