Forged by service. Tested by prison. Refined by education.

Man recording a video inside a studio with professional cameras and lighting.

Stories that move people. Strategies that move systems.

Dr. Manuel “Manny” Gomez, DSW, MSW, CPS, is a Navy veteran, social worker, speaker, and consultant. His work connects lived experience of military service, incarceration, and rebuilding with executive leadership and social work scholarship.

He earned his Doctor of Social Work at California Baptist University and his Master of Social Work at California State University, Long Beach. As a Certified Peer Specialist, he brings a particular respect for the knowledge people gain through experience.

Through Phoenix Kintsugi, Manny speaks and consults on leadership under pressure, the veteran experience, accountability, and institutional change. His private therapy practice offers another way to support people as they navigate their next chapter.

Explore speaking · Explore consulting · Explore private therapy

Two men shake hands at a Veterans Day event, one holding a flag and program.

A conversation about service

Sharing the stage with Bob Archuleta for a Veterans Day keynote, with a focus on veteran leadership and how communities can better support those who served.

Two men holding framed California Assembly recognition certificates.

From custody to commendation

Recognition beside a police officer offers a reminder of the possibility of restoration. Manny’s work asks institutions to hold accountability and second chances in the same conversation.