OUR STORY
In 1982, Dr. Pat Morrissey and Dr. Carolyn Compton decided to shift the paradigm of special education away from general diagnostic labels toward a deeper understanding of a student’s potential. By challenging the broad generalizations and stereotypes associated with learning disabilities and other forms of neurodivergence, they advocated for a focus on the unique neurological and learning patterns of each individual. Having served as the Special Education Director for Menlo Park, CA, Dr. Morrissey decided to open Morrissey-Compton Educational Center in Palo Alto along with Dr. Compton, who had served as Associate Professor of Education at San Francisco State University. Their work demonstrated that a diagnosis is merely a general description and directed the field toward personalized assessments and academic support that honor students’ specific cognitive profiles with a focus on their strengths. As Morrissey-Compton grew, their vision spread and helped tens of thousands of students achieve their potential.
Joining Morrissey-Compton as a postdoctoral fellow, Dr. Patty Bardina studied their methods and felt inspired to be a part of their vision, conducting psychoeducational evaluations for Morrissey-Compton for almost ten years with a focus on learning disorders and ADHD. During this time, Joan Sato, M.Ed, worked as a psychometrist at Seattle Children’s Hospital under the supervision of Dr. David Breiger, a neuropsychologist who shared a similar respect for children and consideration of individual cognitive profiles. Patty and Joan, who had met during their master’s program in school counseling at the University of Washington, recognized the same growing concern: Seattle families were facing long waitlists for psychological services. In 2025, they decided to take action and build a practice that could better serve these families, inviting Joan’s former colleague from Seattle Children’s Hospital Alison Paolozzi to join them. Alison identified the Good Shepherd building as the perfect spot for this vision, and over the following months, the three collaborated to create the Psychological and Educational Alliance for Children (PEACH) in the heart of Seattle. A couple of months before opening, they asked two school psychologists, Karsen Breese and Canella Ontiveros, to join their vision.
The influence of their mentors helped shape an approach that looks beyond diagnoses alone, recognizing each child’s unique pattern of strengths and challenges to develop a specific treatment plan tailored to the child’s needs. PEACH continues this legacy through a warm, collaborative, and team-oriented model, dedicated to providing comprehensive, thoughtful care for every family they serve.
MEET OUR FOUNDERS
Patty Bardina, Ph.D.
Clinical Director
Dr. Bardina is a licensed child clinical psychologist who studied psychology at Pomona College and received her masters in school counseling and PhD in child clinical psychology from the University of Washington. She received training in the assessment of autism at the UW Autism Clinic and advanced training in neuropsychological testing during her internship at Stanford University/CHC. After conducting neuropsychological evaluations and running social skills groups for almost 10 years at Morrissey-Compton Educational Center in Palo Alto, she started a private practice, where she provided individual therapy for ADHD and anxiety disorders and continued to lead social skills groups. She is co-author of the Ducky Friends social skills book series.
Alison Paolozzi, CSP
Director of Assessment
Alison Paolozzi studied developmental psychology at Central Washington University, following which she worked in the day treatment program at Ryther in Seattle. In 2004, she was trained as a psychometrist for the Seattle Children's Hospital Clinical Research Center, where she conducted neuropsychological testing on infants, children, adolescents, and adults. She continued as a psychometrist and then as a senior psychometrist for several departments at Seattle Children's, training new psychometrists, conducting neuropsychological evaluations for over 20 years, and starting the new Psychometry Services Core in the Pediatric Clinical Research Center.
Joan Sato, M.Ed.
Training Director
Joan Sato studied communications at the University of Hawaii and received her masters in school counseling at the University of Washington. In 1997, she joined Seattle Children's Hospital as a pediatric mental health specialist and later as a senior psychometrist responsible for training new psychometrists and conducting neuropsychological evaluations on infants, children, and adolescents for the Neuropsychology Consultation Service for over 20 years.
JOIN OUR TEAM
If interested, please email your resume to:
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We are seeking a clinical psychologist who is experienced in neuropsychological evaluations. The psychologist should have expertise in assessing and diagnosing learning disorders and ADHD.
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We are seeking a psychometrist who is experienced administering a wide range of psychological and educational tests to children and adolescents.