Regional AAA picks North Huntingdon woman as new president

A former University of Pittsburgh Medical Center executive is the first woman to lead the regional chapter of the American Automobile Association.

Teresa “Terri” Petrick, 62, of North Huntingdon, was named president of the AAA East Central region as of April 1, the East Liberty-based organization said Tuesday.

She is the first woman to lead the organization in its 117-year history, the AAA said. She succeeds James Lehman, who since 2013 had been president of AAA East Central, which serves Pennsylvania, Kentucky, New York, Ohio and West Virginia.

Petrick had been senior vice president of AAA, with responsibilities for branch operations, human resources, the member service center, facilities, information technology, along with systems integration and strategic planning, the AAA said.

Petrick spent more than 30 years in the healthcare industry before joining AAA East Central in 2013. She started at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh as hospital planner. She was executive vice president of UPMC’s McKeesport hospital and was a UPMC corporate vice president responsible for integrating and developing care management.

Petrick later became president of UPMC Passavant and UPMC St. Margaret hospitals.

“Being chosen to lead such a storied organization is a great honor,” Petrick said.

Petrick is chairwoman of Excela Health Board of Trustees.

A University of Pittsburgh-Greensburg graduate, Petrick was honored by Pitt-Greensburg in 2014 with the Alumni Association’s Alumna of Distinction, which recognizes excellence among the university’s alumni based on their professional achievements, service to the university, and community service.