Patricia Chappell

Sister Patricia “Patty” Chappell, SNDdeN is a native of New Haven, Connecticut. She earned an undergraduate degree in psychology and social work, then a master’s degree from Catholic University of America’s National Catholic School of Social Service in Washington, D.C.

After years as a community organizer, Sister Patty entered the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur in 1977. She was the full-time president of the National Black Sisters’ Conference from 1996-2001 and is a former member of the Board of Trustees for Trinity University in Washington, D.C. For nine years, she served as Executive Director of Pax Christi USA.

For more than 40 years, Sister Patty has been dedicated to working with her own religious community as well as with other congregations of women religious to examine and dismantle institutional and systemic racism. She is often called upon to speak publicly on these important issues.

Her most notable achievements include:

• President of the National Black Sisters’ Conference, 1995-2001
• Harriet Tubman Award, 1997, National Black Sisters’ Conference
• Co-Chair of the USA SNDdeN Anti-Racism Team, 2000
• First African American Sister to serve on the Provincial Leadership Team of SNDdeN’s former Connecticut Province, 2001-2006
• First African American woman religious to serve as executive director of Pax Christi, USA, 2011-2019
• First African American Sister to serve on the SNDdeN East-West Leadership Team, 2019-2024
• Outstanding Leadership Award, 2021, Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR)
• Ambassador of Peace Award, 2022, Pax Christi USA
• Sr. Mary Rosa McDonough Distinguished Alumni Award, 2025, St. Joseph University, West Hartford, CT

Stories about Sister Patty:

• Profile of Sister Patty published when the Leadership Conference of Women Religious named her the recipient of the LCWR Outstanding Leadership Award.
• Sister Patty Chappell Featured in Article about the Synod