Patrice Eileen Pratt was both in Akron, Ohio, USA on March 17, 1948. She was raised in Phoenix, Arizona from the age of seven to eighteen. She graduated from Xavier High School in 1966 and later attended the University of San Francisco from 1966-1968. In 1969, she immigrated to Canada, and attended the University of Manitoba in 1970. On November 27, 1974, Pratt became a naturalized Canadian Citizen. Pratt later attended B.C. Institute of Technology from 1985-1987.

In Manitoba, Pratt worked with both the Manitoba Health Services Commission and the Manitoba Government Employees Association. She chaired several committees including, Membership, Grievances and Appeals, Staff, Finance and Status of Women and was involved as a member in several other capacities. She was employed as Employee Relations Officer from 1974-1976.

In the mid-1970s Pratt relocated to British Columbia where we worked with the British Columbia Government Employees Union (BCGEU) from 1976 until 2007. She held several positions within the Union as committee chair and member, Staff Representative, Officer, and Director. Pratt was also involved in the B.C. Federation of Labour (BCFed), including as Coordinator of Operation Solidarity in Victoria, B.C. in 1983. She was elected to the Executive Council in 1987, Vice-Chair of the Women’s and Political Action Committee, and served on the Resolutions, Education Political Action Committees. In 1999, she campaigned for President of the B.C. Federation of Labor.

Pratt’s political career with the New Democratic Party (NDP) began in the early 1970s in Manitoba. She was an Executive Member-at-Large in the Winnipeg, River Heights Provincial Constituency and on the Provincial Women’s Caucus. Pratt was Vice-President of the Federal New Democrats from 1991-1993, as well as a member of the Burnaby-Kingsway Federal Constituency. From 1992-1996 she worked as President of the BC NDP with the Mike Harcourt Government. In this role, she was involved with several committees as a member, Chair and Co-Chair, including the Computer, Women’s Rights, Labour Sub-Committee among others. Pratt’s affiliation with both the Federal and Provincial NDP party extended throughout these various roles.

In February of 2007, Pratt retired from the BCGEU and has since remained an active member on several Boards, Committees, and organizations. She has been a member of various community organizations and associations related to women’s rights, Director (1997-2006) and Board Chair (2000) of United Way Lower Mainland, and member of the United Way’s Burnaby Community Committee. From 2000-2002 she was Vice-Chair of the Simon Frazer University Board of Directors. Throughout her life she was a Member of BC Hydro’s Board of Directors, Burnaby Citizen’s Council, and Burnaby Multicultural Society and as President of Canadian Association for Williams Syndrome. Pratt served on the Board of Directors of Vancity (Vancouver City Savings Credit Union), from 2005-2014, and on various committees for the Central 1 Credit Union Board from 2011-2014. She remains an active member of the NDP party and in various community organizations.