As of August 1, 20024, Elizabeth (Liz) Perez will be joining the COOP Careers executive team as Chief Development Officer. In this position, she will oversee fundraising and marketing and communications.

As a first-gen college grad, Liz has a strong personal connection to the COOP mission. She brings with her a professional track record of success in identifying, building, and activating large and scaled partnerships aligned to organizational goals, while also building high performing teams. 

“What resonates with me most about COOP Careers is the mission. I was the first in my family to attend college. I think the model that COOP has implemented using alumni to support, and mentor, new fellows is a win in every way. A first-generation college student will likely have a limited network. COOP’s mission directly addresses this through peer connections and bridging the social capital gap. This not only impacts the economic mobility of the fellows but also of their families and communities as well. That’s a mission I want to be part of.”

Liz joins COOP after spending more than two years at NAF, an education nonprofit where she served as Chief Partnership Officer. In this role, she led partner activation including corporate partnerships and partnerships with like-minded nonprofits. She also oversaw alumni engagement and external DEIA.

Prior to NAF, Liz was the Vice President for Corporate Initiatives and Institutional Giving at the Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA). During her 10-year tenure, she cultivated a broad constituent base of donors and secured the necessary funding for GSUSA to achieve its mission. 

“Liz brings deep experience, serious expertise, and contagious energy to this critical role,” said COOP Founder and CEO Kalani Leifer. “Liz emerged as the right person for this position based on her impressive track record in fundraising, partnerships, marketing, and team leadership.”

Liz is a marketer by training which she feels has contributed to her success in securing strong national partnerships. She has held marketing roles at companies like Express Scripts, Kraft Heinz (formerly Kraft Foods), Mondelez International (formerly Nabisco Biscuit Company), and Colgate Palmolive.

Liz enjoys yoga and practices every morning. She’s also been a bookworm her entire life and loves her book club. Liz lives in Montclair, NJ with her son, Manuel Antonio and her partner, Jay. She also has two daughters, Alicia and Cristina who have left the nest but are close by. 

After receiving her BS in Business Administration from Boston University, where she was in ROTC and served in the Massachusetts National Guard, Liz earned her MBA from Columbia University Graduate School of Business in Marketing. She has also studied at Indiana University School of Philanthropy, focusing on Principles of Fundraising and Developing Annual Sustainability and served in the US Army Reserve as a Finance Officer.