Who We Are at Lizzy Perez, LLC

Dr. Lizzy Pérez,
CEO and Founder of Lizzy Pérez, LLC, brings over 30 years of experience in education, leadership, and coaching. She holds degrees from Texas State University (Bachelor in Exercise and Sports Science, minor in Health and Wellness Promotion, ‘93), Texas A&M University-Commerce (Masters in Secondary Education and a Mid-Management Certification, 2003), and Our Lady of the Lake University (PhD in Leadership Studies, 2023). Lizzy’s career has included roles such as teacher, varsity athletic coach, athletic coordinator, assistant principal, principal of a large high school career center, leadership consultant, and small business owner.

Known as “Doctora” to some, Lizzy is a certified professional coach and member of the International Coaching Federation. Trained by Dr. Brené Brown in 2019, she became a Certified Dare to Lead™ Facilitator. Her other certifications include True Colors® Facilitator, Trauma-Informed Care Practitioner, Psychological Safety, and Adverse Childhood Experiences Master Trainer, to name a few. Lizzy has empowered thousands in schools, nonprofits, and corporations to embrace authentic leadership.

Her leadership consulting business, launched at the start of the pandemic, focuses on emotional agility, self-awareness, and deep learning and ongoing practice. In just the past four years of owning her own business, not counting her eight years prior as a leadership consultant, Dr. Pérez has trained over 4,000 participants in some form of the Dare to Lead™ training, facilitated 200 leadership training sessions, delivered keynote speeches at 18 events, and coached over 60 clients. Lizzy’s business is certified as a Small Business Enterprise, Woman Business Enterprise, Minority Business Enterprise, and Hispanic American Business Enterprise.

Lizzy’s upbringing in a small South Texas town, with her father as mayor and her mother as a catechism teacher, instilled in her a deep commitment to community and service. She champions connections and belonging. Dr. Pérez is an advisory board member for SXSW EDU, alumni ambassador for Leadership SAISD (‘21 cohort), on the Learning Forward Central Texas Steering Committee, and a SAISD Foundation Remote Mentor for first gen college students. Her dynamic coaching and facilitation make her a highly sought-after partner for organizations aiming to inspire and transform their leadership practices. 

As Chief Operating Officer at Lizzy Perez, LLC, Celina Canales combines over a decade of experience in mental health with strong business acumen. A Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), she is committed to empowering individuals through compassionate, client-centered care and empathetic leadership. Celina manages operations, optimizes processes, and oversees the full sales cycle from initial contact to contract completion. She also leads financial services, supporting budgeting and financial projections.

Celina's expertise in mental health informs her approach to developing content on leadership, personhood, and perfectionism, driving innovative projects for the company. She integrates empathic attunement, somatic practices, movement, mindfulness, and a healing-centered approach into leadership development.

Before joining Lizzy Perez, LLC, Celina was a clinician, Clinical Team Lead, and Clinical Director at Jewish Family Service of San Antonio. She provided specialized therapeutic services and fostered a culture grounded in Brené Brown’s Dare to Lead™ principles and Dr. Lizzy Perez's praxis, emphasizing courage, vulnerability, and empathy. Her expertise in trauma-informed care, somatic therapy, psychotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and gender-affirming care made her a trusted resource for clients facing significant life changes.

Prior to her mental health career, Celina honed her leadership and analytical skills as Senior Manager of Business Administration at DPT Laboratories. She supported sales operations, supervised the sales administration team, and led process improvements. Celina managed client project quotes, coordinated cross-departmental alignment, and optimized workflows to increase operational efficiency. Her experience included building strong client relationships, training staff on CRM tools, and generating strategic sales reports to support decision-making.

Celina holds a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute, inspired by its mission to tend to the soul of the world, and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing from the University of Texas at San Antonio, a Hispanic-Serving Institution. She is also trained in Trauma-Informed Care, Trauma-Focused Behavioral Therapy, Polyvagal Theory, and is a Licensed Massage Therapist with a Reiki Level 3 certification.

Celina’s work is driven by a belief in the transformative power of presence, empathy, compassion, and personal exploration. She remains a passionate advocate for mental health awareness and education, inspiring others to lead fulfilling lives.