Lisa Navarro Salazar

Director of Operations

Born and raised in Laredo, Lisa Navarro Salazar is proud to serve her community as Director of Operations at Conexión Counseling PLLC. She oversees the practice’s day-to-day operations and is dedicated to creating a welcoming, organized, and supportive experience for every client.

Lisa graduated from J.W. Nixon High School and earned her Communication degree from Texas A&M International University (TAMIU). Before joining Conexión Counseling, she spent 18 years in higher education, where she built a strong foundation in communication, organization, problem-solving, and service to students and the community.

In her role at Conexión Counseling, Lisa manages daily administrative operations, including appointment scheduling and helping clients navigate administrative questions. She works closely with the clinical team to keep the practice running smoothly and ensure clients feel welcomed, supported, and comfortable as they take steps toward their mental health and well-being.

Together with her husband, Dr. Gustavo “Gus” Salazar II, Lisa helped establish Conexión Counseling with a shared vision of expanding access to professional counseling services in their community. After nearly two decades in higher education, she continues her passion for serving others in a different but equally meaningful way. Lisa believes that a positive counseling experience begins with feeling heard, respected, and welcomed, and she is committed to helping create an environment where every client is treated with compassion, dignity, and professionalism

Gustavo “Gus” Salazar II, PhD, LPC-S, NCC, is a Laredo native, Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor, National Certified Counselor, and EMDRIA Certified Therapist dedicated to counseling, education, clinical supervision, and service to the South Texas community.

Born in Laredo and raised during his early childhood in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, Dr. Salazar has deep roots on both sides of the border. After his family settled in Laredo, he attended local schools and graduated from United High School. A first-generation college student, he began his higher education at Laredo Junior College, now Laredo College, before transferring to the University of Texas at San Antonio, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army. He later returned to Laredo and earned a master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) and, in 2018, a PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from St. Mary’s University.

Beginning in 2001, Dr. Salazar spent approximately two decades serving first-generation college students through TAMIU’s TRiO Student Support Services program. As an academic advisor, coordinator, and counselor, he helped students pursue their educational goals while supporting them through the personal and emotional challenges that can affect college success. As a first-generation college student himself, this work became especially meaningful in his professional career.

In 2012, Dr. Salazar extended his commitment to helping others by volunteering as a clinical supervisor at PILLAR, where he began supervising TAMIU graduate counseling students as they completed their clinical training. His volunteer work allowed him to address two important community needs at once: increasing access to counseling services and preparing the next generation of mental health professionals. In 2021, Dr. Salazar transitioned to PILLAR full-time, devoting himself more fully to clinical supervision, counselor development, and behavioral health services. Throughout his supervisory career, he has supervised more than 120 graduate counseling students, as well as LPC Associates working toward independent professional licensure.

In addition to his work as an educator and supervisor, Dr. Salazar has extensive clinical experience working with individuals across the lifespan. His clinical interests include trauma, anxiety, depression, grief, relationship concerns, and complex emotional difficulties. As an EMDRIA Certified Therapist, he has developed a particular interest in trauma-informed treatment. He integrates Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Relational Cultural Theory, and other evidence-informed approaches into his clinical work.

Dr. Salazar and his wife, Lisa Navarro Salazar, also founded Conexión Counseling PLLC, an extension of the work that has defined his career rather than its starting point. Through private practice, he continues providing counseling while remaining committed to the values that have guided his work in higher education, community mental health, and clinical supervision.

Across more than two decades of service, Dr. Salazar’s professional journey has remained closely connected to the community that helped shape him. From supporting first-generation college students at TAMIU to developing future counselors at PILLAR and providing trauma-informed clinical care, his work reflects a continuing commitment to serving the Laredo community, developing future counseling professionals, and helping individuals find connection, healing, and meaningful change.