While completing her doctorate Dr. Pérez served as a Research Analyst at the National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing, and a Program Coordinator for the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Statewide Migrant Student Leadership Institute. Before beginning her doctoral program, Dr. Pérez worked in student affairs at the Stanford University School of Medicine and in outreach for the Upward Bound program at the University of California, Santa Barbara.