2002 Pathfinder overheating after about 20 minutes of car running

Does the radiator cooling fan run when the engine heats up?
You did not mention anything about your mechanic testing and/or eliminating the electrically-powered radiator fan as a cause of the problem.

At this point, due to the repeated overheating incidents, it is possible that a head gasket has been breached, or that other engine damage has taken place. I recommend that your mechanic perform a compression test and a cylinder leak-down test to assess whether there is a head gasket-related problem.