Pat Breen was born in New York and moved with her parents to Dublin, Ireland, to attend high school. She then spent two years of college at the University College Dublin. In her spare time, Pat modeled in Dublin and Paris and was photographed for Paris Vogue.
She returned to New York and graduated from Manhattanville College. While there she was photographed for the cover of Mademoiselle College Issue. After college, she continued her modeling career, performed in television commercials and was selected out of thousands to be one of the six contestants for the Miss Rheingold contest.
Shortly thereafter, Pat met and married her husband, Dan, an investment counselor. They have six sons, all of whom she adores. The family moved to Houston over 25 years ago where her two youngest sons were born. Pat commented, “My life was totally involved with my family, my sons’ schools and sporting activities. They were all very athletic and played all sports. I loved to watch them play!”
After her sons grew older, Pat became involved in cultural and civic affairs. A lover of opera and the ballet since a child in Dublin (she would line up to get tickets for performances), she is Vice President of the Board of Governors of the Houston Grand Opera, serves on the Executive Committee and is head of Special Events.
In addition, Pat is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Houston Ballet Foundation and the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts. She also serves as a member of the Board of the University of Texas Health Science Center and the University of Texas Partners School of Nursing. Pat has chaired the Opera Ball, the Ballet Ball and Partners School of Nursing Luncheon. She chaired the Sheltering Arms Fashion Show Luncheon, five luncheon fashion shows for the Opera and five dinner evening fashion shows. She is a past Woman of Distinction and was named Woman of Distinction Ambassador by Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation in 2002. Pat has also been named to the Houston Chronicle and March of Dimes Best Dressed list.
Pat has worked on the building campaign for the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts and chaired the Hobby Center’s Opening Night Gala in May, 2002, which produced over $1 million for the Hobby Center.
Pat is an avid tennis player in her spare time and plays in a city-wide league. She enjoys reading, opera, all good music, movies and plays. Pat spends summers in her home in East Hampton, Long Island, with her family.