Meet the Owner: Charlene Perez — The Woman Who Has Seen the World, Studied the Mind, and Builds Community Wherever She Goes
Meet the Owner: Charlene Perez — The Woman Who Has Seen the World, Studied the Mind, and Builds Community Wherever She Goes
When people meet me for the first time, they often assume I’m local — someone who has stayed in one place, lived one story, and walked one path. But my life has been anything but small. I’ve lived, worked, studied, explored, and built community across countries, states, industries, and cultures. I’ve met thousands of people on this journey, and every single one of those encounters shaped the leader, teacher, and creator behind Modality Life Practice.
I was born and raised in Belize, in a loving, structured home by boomer parents who believed in education, discipline, and class. My father is a retired successful politician and current entrepreneur. My family built a beautiful life in Belize — multiple properties across the coast, rainforest, and Belize City. I grew up with a worldview far bigger than my age. That upbringing gave me both stability and curiosity — the desire to learn, explore, and see who I could become beyond borders.
At 16, I moved across the world alone. At 17, I was in college in Chicago watching the Twin Towers fall. I grew up fast; I adapted quickly. And that ability to walk into the unknown — and thrive in it — became the foundation of my entire life.
Since then, I’ve lived everywhere. Chicago, Indianapolis, Carmel, Noblesville, Sonoma County, the Bay Area, worked Southern California, and now — for the second time — San Antonio. I have even moved back to Belize as an adult just to reset, rebuild, and rise again. People often dream of leaving their small towns… I didn’t just leave. I crossed countries, industries, and identities. I’ve lived enough lives for five people.
Because of my neurodivergence, I’ve always been driven by curiosity, passion, and advancement. When I master something, I move on to the next challenge — the next adventure. That’s why my résumé looks like a tapestry: medical management, hospitality leadership, bars, restaurants, bakeries, teaching, cannabis farms in California, babysitting, house cleaning, personal assisting, modeling (through Helen Wells Agency), event planning, and more. I became a general manager at 21, running Ruth’s Chris and even Abercrombie & Fitch in the early 2000s — positions many people don’t reach until their late 30s or 40s.
In 2016, I started Shanti Peace, my handmade jewelry brand. And in 2024, I built Modality Life Practice — my home base, my sanctuary, and my offering to San Antonio.
Along the way, I’ve met thousands of people. Not dozens. Not hundreds. Thousands. From CEOs to single moms, celebrities to immigrants, church groups to artists, wealthy families to struggling students — I have dined with politicians, actors, musicians, celebrities , professional athletes, doctors, lawyers, pastors. Ive been invited on trips with highly successful entrepreneurs. I have stayed in mansions that overlook the Pacific Coast and I have slept in huts being eaten alive by mosquitoes. I have seen every type of human being. That level of exposure sharpens your intuition, character, and ability to lead with compassion, boundaries, and strength. That’s why people are drawn to my light today — but that light was shaped by my personal relationship with God, experience, hard work, and resilience.
Today, I’m also studying to become a clinical psychologist with a focus in neuropsychology. I am an honor student, consistently ranking in the top tier of my class. I’ve always excelled academically — not because I’m in love with school, but because excellence is simply my standard.
San Antonio is only the beginning for me. This season, this studio, this chapter — they are just the tip of the iceberg. I haven’t even begun to reveal what God has prepared for my life, my career, and the legacy I’m building. Stick around. Modality is still young, and Charlene is just getting started. You will be surprised — and inspired — by what’s coming in the years ahead.