Mercie L. Lopez Ph.D CPRC

Certified Professional Retirement Coach

Today, Mercie has stepped into a vibrant and joyful new chapter as a Certified Professional Retirement Coach with decades of experience helping people navigate life, career, and retirement transitions. Her coaching is flexible on Zoom and on-site, meeting clients wherever life takes them and bridging distance with meaningful connection. Reconnecting with former clients and colleagues, she is once again guiding leaders, families, and individuals worldwide. Her coaching supports individuals and organizations through identity shifts, lifestyle changes, and the emotional and practical realities of retirement, with a strong focus on purpose, well-being, and meaningful connection.  Mercie’s journey has always been guided by curiosity, courage, and a deep desire to help others grow into their fullest potential. As she often shares, life feels full again, rich with purpose, impact, and renewed passion.

In her thirties, Mercie made a bold decision that changed the course of her life. She returned to school and began a new path in business and leadership development. Within ten years, she earned her doctorate and went on to teach at the university level. What followed was a remarkable global career rooted in emotional intelligence, change management, and human-centered leadership.

Mercie founded her own executive coaching and change management consultancy, Custom Change Solutions, and worked across Asia, Europe, South America, Central America, New Zealand, and throughout the United States. Her clients ranged from Fortune 1000 organizations to small and mid-sized businesses across industries, including technology, manufacturing, banking, utilities, healthcare, education, and professional services. Across cultures and continents, her work centered on helping people navigate change with clarity, confidence, and purpose.

After more than 35 years of professional practice, Mercie retired and returned to higher education, where she continued doing what she loves most: learning and teaching. She mentored coaches, dissertation students, and working MBA students, balancing careers, families, and academic goals. These students hold a special place in her heart. During this chapter, Mercie returned to research and publishing, with recent articles appearing in The International Journal of Evidence-Based Coaching and Mentoring and The Career Development Journal.

Today, Mercie has embraced a new and joyful chapter. Reconnecting with former clients and colleagues, she is once again coaching leaders, families, and individuals both domestically and internationally. She works remotely via Zoom, making her guidance accessible wherever life may take her clients. As she often says, life feels full again.

Friends describe Mercie as an eternal learner who never meets a stranger. She is deeply fulfilled by her love of family, children, students, clients, animals, golf, and fishing. Her ability to combine academic depth, global business experience, and genuine care for people allows her to form meaningful connections quickly and create lasting impact.

Through Joyful Retirement Journeys, Mercie supports clients as they navigate leadership development, career transitions, change management, retirement fulfillment, and personal or family decisions. Her work is grounded in wisdom, compassion, and the belief that every stage of life offers new opportunities for growth, meaning, and  joy.