Our Commitment
Chic Image Academy is a boutique, founder-led institution built on the vision, leadership, and standards of Liz Galdamez, Founder, Director, and Lead Educator.
The beauty industry was never new to Liz. Raised in the profession by a licensed cosmetologist mother, she grew up understanding that beauty and wellness require discipline, responsibility, and respect for both the craft and the client. Beauty was never a trend or a phase – it was part of her foundation.
Founders
With over 40 years of experience, Liz’s career bridges education, holistic aesthetics, clinical practice, laser technology, global exposure, and brand development. She holds multiple professional licenses and certifications and has intentionally pursued the highest standards of recognition in beauty and wellness education.
This commitment ultimately led Chic Image Academy to become a CIDESCO Training School, aligning the institution with internationally recognized standards of excellence, ethics, and professional competency.
Liz’s commitment to elevated standards was never theoretical—it was lived daily through professional practice. Working within real-world, client-facing environments allowed her to observe firsthand how education translated into performance, accountability, and client outcomes.
To bring those standards fully into practice, Liz developed an upscale beauty lounge designed to reflect elevated service expectations, advanced treatments, and professional hospitality. As the concept matured, it expanded in both size and scope, allowing her to refine the client experience and develop specialized brand concepts, including a professional skincare line and a focused lip bar.
It was through the daily operation and growth of this professional practice that Liz recognized a clear and persistent gap between real-world standards and the education available in the industry. Technical skill alone was not enough. What was missing was professionalism, accountability, safety, scope awareness, and true real-world readiness—particularly in esthetics, nails, massage therapy, laser, and makeup.
Chic Image Academy was created to address that gap.
Founded together with her husband Kevin, Chic Image Academy is the result of a true partnership in vision, structure, and execution. From brand development and build-out to systems, documentation, and long-term planning, the Academy has been intentionally created through the combined strengths and expertise of both partners.
Kevin is a highly respected professional with a successful career outside of the beauty industry, and his perspective and experience contribute meaningfully to the Academy’s foundation and sustainability – while Liz remains the driving force behind the Academy’s educational vision, clinical leadership, and daily direction.
Chic Image Academy is not a traditional beauty school. It is a boutique spa and medical spa–based learning environment, intentionally designed for the adult learner—individuals who are autonomous, self-motivated, professional, respectful, and deeply committed to their craft.
All programs are designed, led, and overseen by Liz Galdamez, supported by a highly accountable team working within clearly defined roles and expectations.
Chic Image Academy operates with a curated, rotating faculty model, engaging licensed educators and practitioners who are actively working in the industry. This approach exposes students to a diversity of teaching styles and professional perspectives while maintaining consistent skill benchmarks, learning objectives, and performance standards across all programs.
While faculty members may rotate based on specialty and availability, all educators teach within clearly defined curriculum standards and instructional protocols developed and overseen by Founder and Lead Educator Liz Galdamez—ensuring continuity, accountability, and educational integrity.
The Academy operates under the guidance of its Medical Director and functions as a licensed medical spa, ensuring clinical oversight, ethical alignment, and real-world scope awareness.
Located on a thoughtfully curated boutique campus in Tampa, Florida—complete with refined clinic spaces and a licensed bistro—Chic Image Academy offers a calm, elevated experience for students, clients, and guests alike.
Chic Image Academy exists for professionals who value excellence, integrity, and commitment—and who are ready to learn, grow, and lead at a higher standard.