Liz A. Garcia

Liz A. Garcia, EdM, Chief Finance & Operations Director

Liz joined Communities In Schools of Los Angeles in 2025 as Chief Finance & Operations Director, where she oversees finance, HR, and operations to ensure the organization’s resources and systems are aligned to sustain impact for students across Los Angeles. She brings more than 25 years of nonprofit leadership experience in strengthening organizational infrastructure, leading high-performing teams, and building scalable systems.

Before CISLA, Liz served as Chief Administrative Officer at a $10M Boys & Girls Club affiliate, where she modernized HR and financial operations, introduced digitized recruitment and onboarding, and upgraded internal control systems for fiscal management. She also spent over a decade running her executive coaching and training firm, Stay Limitless, supporting nonprofit leaders through trauma-informed coaching and customized leadership development programs. Earlier in her career, she served as Regional Director for LA’s BEST After School Enrichment Program, managing a $4M budget, 58 school sites, and 600 staff serving 9,000 students.

A proud LAUSD alumna, Liz earned her Master’s in Education from Harvard University and her Bachelor’s in Sociology from San Jose State University, where she also competed in Women’s Water Polo. She continues to fuel her love of the water as a member of the NOVA Masters Swim Team.