Patricia Sims joined the National Mediation Board in November, 1997, as a Mediator. Currently, she serves the Board as a Senior Mediator, responsible for the supervision of half of the mediator corp and the administration of mediation cases in the airline and railroad industries. She also remains active as a mediator in airline and railroad cases, and as a trainer and facilitator in ADR cases.

Prior to joining the NMB, Ms Sims was President of Conflict Management Systems, where she offered mediation services, facilitation, interest based training and dispute systems design. She is a certified mediator with the Supreme Court of Virginia and received her mediation training at Harvard Law School and the Private Adjudication Center affiliated with Duke University School of Law.

Ms Sims' background encompasses extensive labor-management experience derived from 12 years in the airline industry. She held full time union positions with the Association of Flight Attendants from 1989-1995.

Ms Sims holds a Bachelor's degree in Education from Virginia Tech.