Lizzie Coombs JDPSN is co-founder of York Zen with her husband Roger Keyes. She began practice with the Kwan Um School of Zen in 1989 and did most of her training at Providence Zen Center, Rhode Island, U.S.A. She received inka from Zen Master Soeng Hyang at Providence Zen Center.

She grew up mostly in England but lived in the United States for 35 years.  Whilst in the United States she worked professionally as a conservator of art on paper, retiring when she returned to England with Roger in 2010.