Patricia Fraser
Vice President, Guest Relations
Patricia Fraser leads guest relations at the aquarium – ensuring a seamlessly joyful and welcoming experience and championing Shedd’s experiential brand through all touchpoints with guests.
Education
M.S., nonprofit management, Spertus Institute of Jewish Learning and Leadership
B.B.A., business administration, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
“I have found my true passion is working on behalf of a nonprofit organization that I truly believe in. Here at Shedd, I want to make sure that every interaction with a guest leaves them feeling informed, empowered and welcome.”
Pat Fraser oversees several departments at Shedd that are focused on shaping guest experience, including Guest Relations, Central Station and various onsite vendors like Sodexo, Photogenic, Event Network and more. She manages all guest-related procedures and protocols including guest flow, ticketing, visit amenities, communication before and after a visit, etc. Fraser is also responsible for monitoring and advancing the onsite experience at Shedd through regular guest surveying and operational adjustments.
Fraser has more than thirty-five years of management experience – most recently serving as the Director of Visitor Experience at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA). While at MCA, she led her department through a $16 million construction and renovation project, including development of a strategic plan for post-construction museum use and visitor engagement. She also retooled MCA’s attendance forecasting, planning, data collection and reporting tools, which provided accurate, timely and predictive tools for attendance and revenue.
Prior to her work at MCA, Fraser worked for years supervising large national retail stores, managing hundreds of employees for brands like Lord and Taylor, Marshall Fields and Macy's. She holds a M.S. in nonprofit management from Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership. Fraser earned her B.B.A. in business administration from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.