Catalyst Mentors

Founding Mentor

Dr. Liz Krider is a parent, speaker, researcher, teacher and the founder of Catalyst – a boutique consulting group with the mission of teaching 5000 students how to develop purpose through projects and internships.

She's not your typical Caltech PhD.

She uses her training, professional advocacy expertise and 20 years of mentorship to coach students ages 14-24 in 1:1 and group settings to complete projects and internships that matter to them. The skills developed from such experiences differentiate students in the job market or post-college application process, whether that be medical, dental, or graduate school.

Her students thrive at top 20 and top 75 colleges and beyond, primarily because of the "evidence" they gained from working with her.

Dr. Liz has helped high school students thrive at Stanford, Yale, Cornell, Brown, Georgetown, Duke, UC Berkeley, UCLA, Johns Hopkins University, Rice, NYU, Tufts, University of Notre Dame, Purdue, and many other top 100 colleges. Recently, her students are excelling after college at Harvard (PhD), Stanford (PhD), UC San Francisco (MD/PhD), Georgetown (MD), Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine (MD), George Washington (PhD), as well as in aerospace, business, education, and environmental science.

She earned a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and her research experience spans bioinorganic chemistry, environmental science, and microbiology.

She speaks at national conferences and hosts quarterly workshops for Parents of high school and college students. She trained with HEROIC Public Speaking (CORE, GRAD, Business Mastery) in 2023-2025.

Mentoring Programs: All Programs

Research Mentors

Work with Dr. Liz Krider and Mr. Manji Gunawardana on your research goals.

Trained at Caltech and UCLA, respectively, they have over 30 years of combined experience in mentoring student research projects in the biological and environmental sciences.

Students who have worked with them thrive at Top 10 and Top 75 colleges because of the research training and speaking skills developed under their direct mentorship.

Beyond college, they have students earning MD's or PhD's from Harvard, Stanford, UC San Francisco, Georgetown and other top 30 programs.

Mentoring Programs: Spring Catalyst, Summer Catalyst, Fall Catalyst

Internship Mentors

Work with Dr. Liz Krider and Ms. Michelle Sabourin on your career fit and internship goals.

Michelle Sabourin brings a lifetime of corporate expertise, having closed multi-million-dollar deals through authentic relationship-building. She applies that same wisdom to help students discover well-compensated career paths that align with their purpose.

She is certified to administer the Greenwood System™ to provide a data-driven roadmap that matches a student’s unique strengths and personality to the most viable college majors and career paths. This clarity helps families avoid the high costs of "trial and error" schooling by focusing on a specific, high-probability professional destination.

Mentoring Programs: Career Assessment, Networking, Internships, Beyond College

Project Mentors

Work with Dr. Liz Krider and Ms. Lisa Marriott on your project and community impact goals.

Lisa Marriott is a seasoned communications professional and longtime community advocate who brings over a decade of experience connecting young people with resources, stories, and opportunities that spark curiosity and growth. With deep expertise in writing, storytelling, strategic planning, and community engagement, Lisa is uniquely equipped to help young people with their personal goals.

She has a proven track record of building programs from the ground up—from launching a community bookmobile that served hundreds of families during the pandemic to creating a music education program for 600 students and securing grant funding year after year.

Mentoring Programs: Projects, Networking, Speaker Training

FAQs about 1:1 Mentorship

Whom do we serve?

High school and college students (ages 14-24) who are seeking purpose and meaningful careers. To get there, students need experiences -- projects and internships -- to confirm the paths that might lead there.

What goals are supported?

Catalyst mentors help students understand their career and personality strengths, which are assessed through the Greenwood System™. Based on these results, Students do projects that help them stand out to colleges and employers, as well as get internships or research positions in their fields. These create the "evidence" that colleges and employers prioritize from applicants.

Students who want to land top jobs after college graduation benefit from mentorship on networking strategies and professional speaking skills.

How soon can a student start the 1:1 mentorship?

How long does mentorship last?

Students and parents interested in the mentorship programs meet with Dr. Liz Krider for a free discovery call and join the waiting list. Students can get started on 1:1 mentorship within 1 week or as soon as spots becomes available. Our 1:1 programs are available via Zoom and in-person (within the San Gabriel Valley).

Motivated college students seeking internships usually spend 10+ hours with a Catalyst mentor over several months to develop the skills needed to land competitive internships.

Advanced high school students aiming to impact their community or develop new knowledge through a passion project typically spend 10-15 hours with a Catalyst mentor over several months, depending on the nature of the project.

All students wanting laboratory training and a portfolio of research skills join the Spring or Fall Catalyst programs. These group coaching programs range from Saturday/Sunday lab training (~20 hours with the Catalyst Research team) to 6-week online courses (~10 hours with Dr. Liz).