Dr. Lori M. Phillips
Educational leader, consultant, speaker, and author with more than two decades of experience helping schools, districts, and organizations create environments where students, educators, and families thrive.
As Founder and CEO of The LMP Group, LLC, she provides customized consulting, coaching, and professional learning — and, through the Lizzie pre-teen leadership series and Team Lizzie, she empowers young girls to build confidence, character, leadership, and purpose.
My Inspiration for Lizzie
Author · Educator · Mother · Mentor · Founder · Champion for Girls
Long before Team Lizzie became a movement, it began with one little girl.
My daughter.
When she was in elementary school, I found myself thinking about everything I wanted to pour into her as she grew — lessons about friendship, confidence, kindness, making good choices, finding her voice, believing in herself, and remembering who she was even when the world around her tried to tell her something different.
Like every mother, I wanted to protect her. But I knew I couldn't walk into every classroom with her, sit beside her through every friendship challenge, or answer every question before she met it. I wouldn't always be there in the exact moment she needed a reminder of just how special she was.
So I started thinking: what if I could give her a best friend in print? A voice she could return to, a character she could grow with, and stories that open the door to the conversations that are hardest to begin — words that could encourage her, challenge her, make her laugh, and remind her that she was never alone.
Then another thought came: why create this only for my daughter? Little girls everywhere needed those same reminders — girls navigating friendships, trying to fit in, learning to use their voices, confident on the outside and still questioning themselves on the inside, or quiet and easily overlooked. Every one of them needed something — or someone — to whisper:
I see you. I believe in you. Keep going.
And that is how Lizzie was born.
She is my inspiration.
Watching my daughter grow reminded me that our girls are constantly receiving messages about who they should be, how they should look, and where they should fit. I wanted to help create a different kind of message — one that says:
Know who you are. Be kind without shrinking yourself. Use your voice. Choose your friendships wisely. Celebrate what makes you different. Learn from your mistakes. Dream bigger. And never forget that there is something extraordinary inside of you.
What began as something I wanted to give my own daughter became something I wanted to share with daughters everywhere.
A BFF in Print
I often describe the Team Lizzie books as a BFF in print. Sometimes a girl needs more than a lesson — she needs a story, a character she recognizes, words that sound like someone understands, and the freedom to discover the lesson herself.
Lizzie creates opportunities for girls, parents, educators, mentors, and caregivers to talk about the things that matter while girls are still becoming who they are — books meant to be read, talked about, revisited, shared, and carried into real life.
But over time, I realized the vision was even bigger than the books.
From a Book to a Movement
Today, I AM TEAM LIZZIE is growing into a community created to help girls read, believe, belong, and become — through books, empowerment experiences, school and community programming, retreats, mentorship, affirmations, resources, and meaningful partnerships, creating more spaces where girls feel seen, supported, encouraged, and equipped.
Team Lizzie is for the girl discovering her voice, the girl finding her confidence, the girl navigating friendship — the girl who has already discovered her gifts, and the girl who has no idea yet how gifted she truly is. It is for parents and caregivers looking for meaningful ways to pour into their girls, for educators who notice the quiet student who may need a little extra encouragement, and for communities committed to raising girls who are confident, compassionate, resilient, and grounded in purpose. And it is for every person willing to become part of a girl's team.
Why This Matters to Me
I have spent much of my life's work educating, leading, mentoring, and creating opportunities for young people to thrive. But Team Lizzie is deeply personal — it connects the educator in me with the mother in me, combining my belief in the power of education with my belief that some of the most important lessons a girl will ever learn are about herself:
Who am I? What do I believe? What am I good at? How should I allow others to treat me? How do I recover when something doesn't go my way? What am I capable of becoming?
Those are lessons that can shape a lifetime. And if Team Lizzie can help one more girl answer them with confidence, then this work matters.
My Hope for Every Lizzie
My hope is that a girl encounters Team Lizzie and sees a piece of herself — that she reads a book and starts a conversation, attends an experience and discovers something new about herself, and comes to an I AM LIZZIE Retreat standing a little taller. That an affirmation reaches her on exactly the day she needs it. That a teacher notices the girl who hasn't said much, and a mother and daughter talk about something they might not have discussed otherwise. That a girl realizes she does not have to become somebody else to be worthy of becoming something incredible.
You are seen. You are valued. You have a voice. You have a purpose. You have a team.
Welcome to Team Lizzie
What started with my daughter has grown into a vision for girls everywhere — and we're just getting started. Whether you found us through a book, a school, an event, or the retreat, I hope you'll stay awhile: explore the stories, share them with a girl you love, bring Team Lizzie into your school or community, and help us remind another girl of the greatness that already lives inside of her.
Because every girl deserves a team. And around here... we are Team Lizzie.
“Leadership isn't about having all the answers — it's about inspiring others to discover what's possible.”
— Dr. Lori M. Phillips
On Stage & In Schools
Invite Dr. Phillips to your school, church, or community group — she brings the Team Lizzie message straight to your girls. From auditorium assemblies and youth events to girls conferences and community gatherings, she meets students right where they are with a message of confidence, courage, and kindness.
For educators, she also brings more than two decades of experience as a student, teacher, and principal — keynotes, classroom workshops, and professional learning that help schools and leaders turn challenges into lasting impact.
School assemblies, classroom talks & career days
Church youth groups, girls' ministries & mentoring programs
Family nights, community events & keynote sessions
Educator workshops & professional learning
As Seen On Live at 9
A Powerful Conversation with Kontji Anthony
Dr. Phillips was interviewed by Kontji Anthony on Live at 9 to share the heart and vision behind the I Am Lizzie Preteen Girls Empowerment experience. The message was clear — this retreat is going to be transformational!
Every Girl Deserves a Team.
That's why Team Lizzie exists — and why every book, experience, and retreat carries Dr. Phillips' promise: every girl is seen, valued, and capable.