A Raleigh native, Patterson gradated from the University of North Carolina where she played club soccer, led Young Life, and was a Buckley Public Service Scholar. Before coming to Carolina, Patterson took a gap year through The World Race — a 9 month Christian program created to serve others and grow in faith — where she lived in Swaziland, Lesotho, India, and Nepal. After graduating, Patterson moved to Washington, DC where she spent two years working in the public policy space.

Patterson enjoys running, coaching the UNC women's club soccer team, and walking her black lab, Bishop. She never turns down a concert, a UNC basketball game, or a Carolina Hurricanes game. She and her husband, Jack, are members of Holy Trinity Church in Raleigh (Jack first asked Patterson on a date sitting at the Study Center!).