Patricia Vercelli leads the legal department at ARC, overseeing the company’s complex domestic and international regulatory, litigation, and compliance matters.
Before joining ARC, she was Chief Legal Officer for Airlines for America (A4A), the premier trade association for the largest U.S. passenger and cargo airlines, where she provided strategic legal guidance to advocacy efforts at both the state and federal levels, supporting internal departments in responding to inquiries from federal agencies and members of Congress and advising on high-profile industry challenges. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she played a central role in shaping rules and regulations in coordination with domestic and international governments. She was also instrumental in addressing legal issues related to operational and safety concerns during the 5G telecommunications deployment that posed potential risks to commercial aviation worldwide.
Before joining A4A, Vercelli served as General Counsel for the Universal Air Travel Plan (UATP), the airline-owned travel payment system, formerly a division of A4A for 15 years. In that role, she managed all legal affairs, navigating complex international regulatory requirements and streamlining payment processing between UATP airline members and corporate customers. Earlier in her career, Vercelli worked with Drinker Biddle & Reath, LLP and Sallie Mae, Inc. She is a member in good standing of the Maryland, District of Columbia and U.S. Supreme Court Bar Associations. Vercelli earned her Master of Laws (LL.M.) in International Law from Georgetown University and her Juris Doctor (J.D.) from The American University.
I have had the good fortune of working for the airline industry for over two decades, so I have travelled all over the world. This is a difficult question to answer because there are so many places that come to mind, but if I had to pick one, it would be South Africa. The country offers many locations filled with endless beauty, but doing a safari in Kruger National Park was the most exotic experience in my life. For anyone who loves nature, adventure, great food and wine, please add it to your bucket list!
On a trip to Geneva, a gentleman next to me was a Swiss watchmaker who was attending a watch trade show. We had a long discussion about the watchmaking business, which I knew nothing about and found fascinating. He taught me that watchmaking is not just a business, it is an art dependent on great precision. He asked me for my thoughts on the perfect watch. I shared with him that there weren't enough good watches on the market with dual time zones, which I needed for all my travel. Two months later, I was surprised by a package delivered to my office from Switzerland: a beautiful, custom-made dual-time watch that I still wear when I travel overseas.
I received this piece of advice from a former CEO, and I have borrowed it to give others, especially young professionals: "Do not be quick to judge someone; place yourself in his or her shoes first.”