Petra Mitchell

President and CEO

Petra is the President and CEO of Catalyst Connection. This nonprofit group helps local manufacturers grow their businesses and create new jobs. The organization serves as a key regional hub for the NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP).

Petra has worked in factory operations and business growth since 1988. Before joining Catalyst, she worked at GE Aircraft Engines, now known as GE Aviation. She holds a mechanical engineering degree from the University of Dayton and a master’s degree from the University of Cincinnati.

Petra serves on several major manufacturing leadership boards:

• The Advanced Robotics in Manufacturing (ARM) Institute
• The Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center (IRC) Network
• The American Manufacturing Communities Collaborative (AMCC)

She previously served on the board of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland (Pittsburgh Branch). She is also the Honorary Consul for the Republic of Slovenia.