Tedde’s KU leadership began during her student years, when she participated in several campus organizations, culminating in her election as student body president from 1976 to ’77, the first woman to hold the office. As a senior, she received the Association’s Agnes Wright Strickland Award for her leadership, and she graduated as a member of Phi Beta Kappa.

After earning her law degree from Northwestern University, she began her career as an attorney with the Kansas City firm of Morrison & Hecker, then served four years as a senior trial counsel Securities and Exchange Commission in New York City. In 1997, she moved to Citigroup, where she guided global consumer litigation as a vice president. Tedde also volunteered for many years to represent refugees seeking political asylum in the United States. From 2004 until her retirement, she was senior attorney for the National Center for Law and Economic Justice. Her many volunteer KU roles include the Raymond F. Nichols League Advisory Board of former student leaders and the New York City KU alumni chapter.

From 2003 to 2010, she served on the Alumni Association’s national Board of Directors, leading the organization as chair from 2008 to ’09. She especially strengthened the Association’s academic and student recruitment programs. She also helped guide the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences as a member of its advisory board from 2014 to 2020, helping shape teaching and research initiatives to support students and faculty.

She and her spouse, Roberta Patterson, have attended numerous alumni events through the years in New York, Lawrence, Kansas City and Tedde’s hometown of Wichita. For KU Endowment, Tedde is a trustee and a member of the Development Committee, the Chancellors Club, the Elizabeth Watkins Society, Women Philanthropists for KU and Jayhawk Faithful. Through the years, she has generously contributed to areas throughout KU, including student scholarships, KU Libraries and the Alumni Association.