Cecilia Dueñas, Pys.D.

Biography

Dr. Cecilia Dueñas is a bilingual Spanish/English Latina Clinical Psychologist, mother of two, and wife based in Southern California. Diagnosed with Primary Biliary Cholangitis (PBC) in 2021 after more than six years of undiagnosed symptoms and healthcare inequities, she turned her personal journey into a mission to advocate for patients facing rare liver diseases and health disparities. Recognizing a significant gap in the representation of patient-owned, regulatory-compliant data—particularly for underserved populations like AMA-negative Latina PBC patients—Cecilia founded a PBC-focused research foundation in 2024. Her foundation prioritizes non-biased, patient-centered data collection and works in collaboration with regulatory boards, clinicians, and PBC stakeholders to advance research and treatment options for all patients. She also sits on the board of The Liver Coalition of San Diego and is a Global Liver Institute Patient Ambassador.