Patty Bellali grew up in Pasadena and attended Pasadena City College, where she was a student-athlete in the mid-1990s on the Lancers' women's basketball team under her maiden name Gallego. She is now in her 19th year at PCC as an athletic trainer.

Bellali successfully transferred to California State University, Long Beach where she earned her bachelor's degree in kinesiology and physical education. Bellali continued on to earn her master's in education from Azusa Pacific University.

Before accepting her position at PCC, she had worked at the high school level as a teacher, director of student activities, and athletic trainer. She later accepted the assistant athletic trainer position at Glendale College and was there for less than a year when one of the head athletic trainer positions at PCC opened up in 2000.

Bellali has taught First Aid and CPR as an American Red Cross instructor.

Bellali is actively involved in the California Athletic Trainers' Association as the public relations chair where she promotes public awareness of the profession of athletic training and helps deal with legislative issues for the association in partnership with the CCCAA.

Bellali lives in Pasadena with her husband Safir and their twin daughters Mila and Sofia.