Patricia Magee Vaughan is the senior vice president for legal and regulatory affairs and general counsel for the American Beverage Association, where she also serves as secretary of the Association’s board of directors. The American Beverage Association is the trade association representing the non-alcoholic beverage industry, which employs nearly 227,000 people nationwide and has a direct economic impact of more than $118.9 billion. It manufactures a variety of beverage choices, including bottled water, water beverages, 100 percent juice, juice drinks, sports drinks, regular and diet soft drinks, ready-to-drink teas and dairy-based beverages.

In her position, Ms. Vaughan is responsible for advising ABA and its members on legal and regulatory issues affecting the beverage industry at the local, national and international levels. These issues include labeling requirements, ingredient safety, state bottle deposit systems, taxation, advertising and marketing to children. Most recently she has been involved in the development and implementation of several major initiatives undertaken by the industry, including the adoption of the International Council of Beverages Association’s Global Policy on Marketing to Children, the national School Beverage Guidelines and Clear on Calories.

Before joining ABA, Ms. Vaughan was Minority Chief Counsel for the Senate Antitrust Subcommittee under Ranking Member Sen. Strom Thurmond, where she handled legislation and oversight of various antitrust issues.

Ms. Vaughan also spent several years at the Federal Trade Commission as an Attorney Advisor to Commissioner David Clanton and was an Associate with the law firm of Davis, Polk and Wardwell.

Ms. Vaughan is a graduate of Georgetown University Law Center. She lives in Alexandria, Va., with her husband, David, and has four grown children.