Kristi Quinby, LEP
Pediatric Testing Psychologist | CA LEP #4762
CLIENT FOCUS
Children ages 5 to 12 presenting with learning differences and/or ADHD, as well as adolescents experiencing anxiety, depression, or other internalizing challenges.
ASSESSMENT APPROACH
Therapeutic and relational
Empowerment-focused
Strengths-based
Play-informed
Depression
Family-centered
ISSUES COVERED
Learning Differences
ADHD
Trauma/PTSD
Emotional Regulation
Autism
Nervous System Regulation
Special Education Law and Advocacy
Anxiety
Pragmatic Language
Developmental Differences
With 20 years of experience working in public schools, Kristi brings an insider's understanding of the education system and how to navigate it effectively on behalf of families.
She takes a therapeutic, relational approach to assessments, incorporating play and humor to help children feel safe, seen, and genuinely important.
As both a clinician and a parent of a child with ADHD, Kristi brings a rare combination of professional expertise and lived experience to every evaluation.
"I do this work because every child deserves to feel truly seen and understood. When families are given clarity, hope, and guidance, children can thrive."
- Kristi Quinby
Kristi Quinby is a Licensed Educational Psychologist with two decades of experience working in public schools.
That background gives her something many clinicians simply don't have: a deep, practical knowledge of how the education system works and how to help families use it effectively. She knows the language of IEPs and 504 plans, understands the procedures that can feel opaque and overwhelming from the outside, and knows how to advocate clearly and confidently within that system on a child's behalf.
Her specialty is working with children ages 5 to 12 who are navigating learning differences and/or ADHD, and she also has significant experience supporting adolescents who are dealing with anxiety, depression, or other internalizing challenges. No matter who she's working with, her approach stays consistent: warm, relational, and attuned to the whole child.
Assessments with Kristi are designed to feel different from what families might expect. She brings a therapeutic sensibility to the evaluation process, weaving in play and humor to help children feel at ease, and prioritizing genuine connection over clinical efficiency. For parents, that same spirit of care shows up as real listening, curiosity about their child, and a commitment to making them feel heard and validated throughout the process. She wants every family to walk away with clear answers, practical strategies, and the confidence to advocate for their child.
Kristi also brings something beyond her clinical training: lived experience as the parent of a child with ADHD. She knows firsthand how complex and sometimes overwhelming it can be to raise a neurodiverse child, and that personal understanding shapes the way she shows up for families every step of the way.
Outside of work, Kristi stays busy with her two active teenage boys, who keep her on the move with their love of mountain biking and ice hockey. She recharges through yoga, meditation, hiking, and weekend trips to Tahoe, and enjoys spending time with her extended family who live close by. In quieter moments, she reaches for a good book or a psychology podcast.