Professional Speaker Partners
EAS, Inc. has partnered with the professional speakers listed below. To book one of these speakers at your next event, please contact us.
Lilyan Prado
Lilyan Prado migrated to the United States from Guatemala when she was four years old. Raised solely by her father, J. Luis Prado, Lilyan has always understood the importance of education. Her father, who often worked two jobs to support the family, instilled in Lilyan the examples of hard work and perseverance that ultimately led her to go to college.
Lilyan began working alongside her father at the age of 11, cleaning houses to make a little extra income. In high school, she juggled working full time with schoolwork and sports until it eventually caused her to drop out of school during the first semester of her senior year. But, with some encouragement from her family, special friends, teachers, programs like Upward Bound and their dedicated staff, she managed to return to school and graduate with an advanced diploma on time with her class.
Lilyan attended a junior college where she funded her own education costs by working up to 50 hours per week and going to school part time because of her immigration status in the country. She later transferred to and graduated from Texas Woman’s University, where she received a full scholarship and quickly became an outstanding student leader and a campus motivator. In 2002, Lilyan was one of 30 students nationwide, awarded a congressional internship with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute in Washington, D.C.
Since college, Lilyan has worked as an ESL teacher at Calhoun Middle School in Denton, Texas, a second-grade bilingual teacher for Carrollton Farmers Branch ISD in Texas, and as a facilitator for Monster Worldwide Diversity Leadership Programs, nationwide. She also worked with the National Council of La Raza through its Lideres Program, empowering Latino youth at its national conferences and encouraging them to become active members of their respective affiliate organizations.
In 2006, Lilyan was selected as The Sallie Mae Fund’s national spokesperson for its Paying for College Bus Tour, which included workshops that gave students and parents the tools they need to apply, attend and pay for college. In that capacity, Lilyan presented to large audiences of underserved, minority and low-income high school students with the message that college is accessible for everyone. She was featured on local Good Morning America morning shows, Cada Dia con Maria Antonietta Collins on Univision, and many local, state, and national news casts for English and Spanish language media, and newspaper print articles. After delivering this message in more than 55 cities, 35 states and to more than 40,000 people, Lilyan decided to relocate back to Denton, TX to marry Albert Carrillo, her fiancé.
In 2007, Lilyan joined SLiCK, an innovative and interactive series of student leadership workshops inspired by Lt.Col. (Ret.) Consuelo Castillo Kickbusch. Through SLiCK, she serves as a presenter and facilitator, continuously sharing her life to help motivate others in school districts across the country. She also presents to parents through the Family Leadership Institute and helps empower parents on how to become leaders in their own homes, and communities. Her newest project includes creating and writing curriculum for a brand new all girls program being developed under her mentor, Lt.Col. (Ret.) Consuelo Castillo Kickbusch, called iSHINE, meant to inspire, prepare, motivate, and develop educated, healthy, and happy young women across the country. She was recently honored as a State TRIO Achiever in the Spring 2010.
Today, Lilyan is happy to give back to the community that helped her achieve so much. Currently she is the Program Coordinator for the Emerald Eagle Scholars program at the University of North Texas, a candidate for a Masters degree in Public Administration at UNT. Lilyan resides in Denton, along with her husband Albert, their three boys, Albert, Michael and Isaac, and their first baby girl, Ayanna Catalina, 21 months.
Deborah Deras
Exciting, charismatic, and captivating are some of the common words used to describe Deborah Deras and her memorable keynote speeches, dynamic workshops and interactive presentations. Deras is an international speaker, life coach, and author of Confessions of an Adrenaline Addict: How to Achieve More with Less Effort.
After the death of her brother, David, at the age of 16, Deborah began to go down a dark road of excess. She almost didn’t graduate from high school due to the stress of her parents’ divorce. At the age of 19, she moved out on her own and enrolled in a community college. Overcoming financial challenges along the way, Deborah put herself through graduate school. Through all the trials and tribulations, the spirit of her brother’s courage, and her mission to empower and inspire people kept her focused and on purpose.
Deborah earned a Masters Degree in Counseling with a Minor in Special Education. She also holds the National Certification as a Rehabilitation Counselor (CR.C). For over a decade, Deras has instructed classes at the University of Phoenix on popular subjects such as Diversity; Communication Skills; Case/Time Management; and Theories of Human Development.
Deborah Deras is a featured expert in Latina Magazine and is contributing writer for Catalina and Immigrant Magazine. Ms. Deras won the prestigious Latina Entrepreneur Award from the National Latina Business Women’s Association.
Deborah's engaging and interactive presentation style inspires her audiences to take immediate action to achieve long-lasting results. Some of her clients include: Farmers Insurance; Hispanas Organized for Political Equality; Minnesota State University; University of Phoenix; State Farm Insurance; National Latina Business Women’s Association and many more.
John Honaman
At the NATA, John leads a 12-member team that is responsible multiple critical functions including continuing education, membership, sponsorship recruitment and service and communications to the 26,000 organization. John joined the NATA in the summer of 2007 as the staff team lead for the $2.0 million capital campaign of the NATA Foundation.
Previously, he worked for 3 organizations over a 20-year span in non-profit executive leadership:
- Diocese of Fort Worth (Director of Stewardship and Development)
- National Society of Hispanic MBAs (organization’s first Executive Director)
- Diocese of Dallas (director of annual fund and Associate Director of Administration & Development of Catholic Charities)
He also proudly serves as a bi-lingual facilitator with the Family Leadership Institute (FLI) of Educational Leadership Services. He and others lead participants through a college-level leadership training curriculum aimed to increase the investment of low-income and/or recent immigrant parents in the public schools where their children are attending.
John successfully led the formation of a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, which also included the incorporation of the organization in the State of Texas. He is a certified fundraising executive (CFRE) and holds an MBA in Marketing from Michigan State University and a B.S. in Business Administration from Central Michigan University.
He is married to María Josefina Elizalde-Honaman, a native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, and the couple has 2 children, Angela Belén Honaman-Elizalde (a recent graduate in Bilingual Education from the University of Texas at Austin; presently teaching English in Chile) and Dianna Isabel Honaman-Elizalde, presently pursing a degree in Nursing at the University of Texas at Austin.
John has a passion for languages and cultures and is fluent in Spanish, Portuguese, French, and Italian and is presently studying Greek.
Marisel Herrera-Anderson
Marisel Herrera-Anderson has spent the last fifteen years educating and motivating youth, college students, and young professionals. A first generation Latina college student, university professional and servant- leader dedicated to excellence and to taking it to the next level, she is committed to ensuring others are empowered and “lista” (ready) to do the same!
Her passionate belief in the power of education to transform lives has led her to speaking on the local and national levels where she often shares her motivational messages to standing room only audiences. Whether speaking to an individual student or 500 audience members her message is fueled by the lessons she learned throughout her journey from the housing projects of New York City to the halls of academia. These lessons affirm the power of education, resiliency, culture, faith, and community to transform one’s life.
In recognition of her extensive service and leadership Marisel is one of 22 Latinas across the United States selected annually for the National Hispana Leadership Institute in 2005, a national leadership development program aimed at developing Latinas as ethical world leaders. In 2009, her leadership was also recognized by the Phoenix Business Journal “Top 4O Under 40 Award”. She is the author of Puerto Rican Goldilocks, a poignant memoir which documents her early memories through poetry and prose.
Marisel earned a Bachelors degree in Social Work from Marist College, a Masters of Education in Higher and Adult Education from Arizona State University, and is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Educational Leadership Studies. She has received leadership training and certificates from the prestigious Harvard University JFK School of Government and the Center for Creative Leadership. Marisel shares her life with her husband and their children.
» Book Marisel Herrera-Anderson as Your Next Professional Speaker
Carlos Ojeda, Jr.
He’s been called one of the most dynamic speakers under thirty in America today. The remarkable journey of his life began in the streets of Newark, New Jersey and later to Reading, Pennsylvania where his immigrant parents saw opportunities for themselves and for their first generation Puerto Rican children. Growing up proved to be a difficult task, particularly school. Not understanding his socio-economic and cultural background, many of his high school teachers told him he would never amount to anything. One teacher once called him, “the greatest piece of garbage he had ever seen.” Yet his drive, passion and dreams led him to overcome those obstacles and pursue a career of life learning and educational success, being the first person in his family to graduate from college with honors. His experiences have led him to always remind Latino youth to, “never, ever, ever let anyone tell you who you are or what you will become. That’s your destiny to fulfill, no one else’s.”
His mission to live life completely and passionately is only rivaled by his desire to share his message. Because of this he has become a published writer, poet and speaker. His ability to extend the touch of mere spoken words, to transform them into powerful thought-provoking, emotionally charged commentaries about life, education and society have been highly praised from print media to public radio after his first speaking engagement as the Keynote speaker at the Pennsylvania Statewide Latino Coalition Conference in 1997. Like his praises, he continues to represent a model of transformational leadership throughout the community, speaking on issues of education, empowerment, and progress.
He lives his life according to the saying, “life is not measured by the breaths that you take, but rather by the moments in life that take your breath away.” And adds to it by proclaiming, “it doesn’t matter how long you live, it matters what you do while you live.” It is his belief that human progress comes through the determined efforts to promote education, social activism and entrepreneurism in our youths. According to him, “every second that you live, every breath that you take, is a second and a breath that you have to turn it all around.” He sees now as the time to transform the youth into leaders of today, not tomorrow.
» Book Carlos Ojeda, Jr. as Your Next Professional Speaker | Download Carlos' Media Packet | View Demo
Aurora Anaya-Dyer
After years of having worked extensively and in numerous capacities in both the education and business sectors, Aurora made the decision to focus on her true passion: inspiring others. Motivated by this passion and armed with her experience as well astwo Masters Degrees: Counseling and in Occupational Training and Development, she established her training and consulting company.
Aurora has served as a teacher, counselor, partners in education & special events coordinator, project director for after school programs, executive assistant to the superintendent and has chaired both state and national level conferences.
In the business sector, Aurora has worked for IBM, Apple One Employment Agency, Universal Studios and Sports Med Centre in Los Angeles, California.
Aurora’s company, named Inspiration, Motivation, Application (IMA), reflects her belief in providing participants with the tools for developing one’s inner strengths and treasures. She currently travels the country helping school districts and businesses by conducting various types of fun and introspective trainings and retreats. Aurora is also a certified Practitioner of the Family Leadership Institute authored by Consuelo Castillo Kickbusch, Lieutenant Colonel, Retired.
Roy Juarez, Jr.
Roy Juarez Jr. was recently featured on CNN with his mentor in a segment leading up to Latinos in America. His spell-binding story has also caught the attention of the well-established, New York Times bestseller, Chicken Soup for the Soul series. In August of 2009, Roy’s Story was featured in their latest book Chicken Soup for the Soul: Extraordinary Teens.
As a young entrepreneur, Roy has been able to develop a successful career, lecturing to thousands of youth, educators, and parents throughout the United States and abroad. Once a homeless teenager, Roy fought the battle to leave the streets, only to return to them after becoming a graduate of Hardin-Simmons University.
Today Roy is currently traveling on his MyBag, MyHome: Homeless by Choice Tour. What began as a 5 month, 30 city tour starting in Los Angeles, CA to the southern tip of Florida, has grown into a two year mission of circle the country inspiring America. Roy is speaking at any educational facilities, shelters, organization and/or company that are willing to open up their doors. He is “Couch Surfing” once again, this time by choice! His goal is to reach-out to over 100,000 individuals with his personal message of hope, perseverance, and the importance of education!
Born and raised on the south side of San Antonio, TX, Roy faced situations and obstacles that could have turned him into a negative statistic but he found a way to overcome those challenges. At the age of fourteen, Roy was a high school drop-out and one of the hundreds of homeless youth on the streets of San Antonio. With no money or education and too young to get a job, Roy was at the mercy of the streets. He carried with him only a duffle bag of personal items that he called home. He moved from house to house to survive. Despite all that was working against him, he knew there was more to life, which is why he never lost sight of his dreams.
Roy is a role model for thousands of people through his work as an advocate of education in communities across the country. His life experience inspires them. It is through his interaction with people that Roy demonstrates his willingness, desire, and ability to help people become successful in life.
Roy Juarez, Jr. Tells His Story
» Book Roy Juarez, Jr. as Your Next Professional Speaker | Download Roy's Media Packet
Ernesto Mejia
Ernesto Mejia, the proud son of Mexican immigrants, is a true example of the American dream. Diagnosed with the rare disease of Guillain-Barré Syndrome at the age of 16 that left him temporarily paralyzed, he was not supposed to be a successful student, much less a College Dean of Students. Through his hardships, Ernesto learned to never give up on life.
As a Latino in the USA, Mejia had to learn to navigate two entirely different worlds and live in two completely different cultures. Like many minorities, Mejia learned at an early age that racism and prejudice are still alive and well. He shares his experiences with audiences to help them overcome discrimination. Today, Mejia stands strong as an educated, professional Latino that never apologizes for his success or his roots.
With a full ride to Eastern Michigan University, Mejia fell victim to the lifestyle of partying. After three semesters, Mejia lost all of his financial aid and was dismissed. To return to school, Mejia had to pay back what he partied away. He finally decided to take school seriously. So, to finish his degree, he worked full-time, bartended part-time, and took 18 credit hours for two straight semesters. Mejia tells his story in efforts to help others learn from his mistakes.
Several years later, Mejia earned his Masters Degree in Organizational Leadership with a focus on Higher Education. He soon started to climb the ranks of administration at several colleges. On the track to becoming a college president, Mejia chose to pursue his own personal dream of motivating young people to enroll in college. Mejia speaks on the importance of finding the strength and confidence to follow one’s dreams; he hopes to make a difference in the world by helping one person at a time to realize their potential.
Mejia has been speaking formally and informally to youth for over ten years and is a mentee of Motivational Speaker Consuelo Castillo Kickbusch. From being a student in one of her speeches, to following in her footsteps of being a role model and a servant leader, Mejia has become one of the most inspirational speakers our youth has seen. Born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Mejia now lives in Chicago, Illinois.
» Book Ernesto Mejia as Your Next Professional Speaker | Download Ernesto's Media Packet
Colonel Hector E. Topete
Colonel Hector E. Topete was born in Mexico and immigrated to the United States with his parents at the age of eight. His family settled in Weed, California. After turning 18, he became a naturalized U.S. citizen and received an appointment to West Point. He graduated in 1976 and began his career as a military officer in the U.S. Army. Most of his assignments were as an Army pilot, commander and staff officer. He commanded at the company, battalion and brigade levels. Colonel Topete is a rated military pilot in helicopters and airplanes, a civilian commercial pilot and flight instructor and a qualified military paratrooper and Army Ranger. He retired on July 1, 2006 after 30 years of continuous active duty military service.
Colonel Topete is a graduate of various military and civilian institutions of leadership and higher learning. Among these are the U.S. Army Flight Programs for helicopters and airplanes, the Army Command and General Staff College, the Army War College and the Army Inspector General School. He received a Bachelors degree from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and a Masters from Central Michigan University. As a Senior Service Fellow in Washington, D.C., Colonel Topete researched and published the report titled, “Under Representation of Hispanic-Americans in the U.S. Army’s Officer Corps: A Study of an Inverse Dynamic.” The report received Nation-wide acclaim among senior leaders within military, Congressional and educational circles.
Colonel Topete has served in numerous command and staff positions. Some of these include Tank Company Commander, Aviation Company and Battalion Commander, Comptroller, Liaison Officer to the Government of Mexico, Brigade Commander and Inspector General for the state of California. He has served in units such as the 82nd Airborne Division, the 1st Cavalry Division, the U.S. Army in Europe and the Pentagon.
Colonel Topete is the recipient of various military and civilian awards. He was named the U.S. Army’s winner of the 2000 “National Image Meritorious Service Award.” Among his military awards are the Legion of Merit, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Humanitarian Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Overseas Service Ribbon and the Master Aviator Badge.
» Book Colonel Hector Topete as Your Next Professional Speaker