Patricia was born in Bakersfield, California, but was raised in the Westwood/Brentwood suburbs of Los Angeles, California. After going to several private schools and graduating from Marymount High School, she moved first to Europe, then to New York, to continue her modeling career, a career which she had started in her teens. While she worked as a designer's, showroom and runway model, she married George Gilbert Ateyeh, a businessman in the fashion industry. After the birth of her first child, Melissa, Patricia began studying at Stella Adler's Theatre School while at the same time working on her first feature film. Her natural talent and on-screen demeanor were impressive, and soon lead her back to California to begin an career in acting.