-
Speakers, MC's, and Performers -
-
ARCHBISHOP JOSÈ H. GOMÈZ
-
-
-
ARRAY OF HOPE
Founded in 2010, The Array of Hope Ministry was created to evangelize and spread the gospel
through music, films, and events. Based in New Jersey The Array of Hope band is the creative force behind the Music Division of the Array of Hope Ministry. The band performs in a multiple of configurations ranging in setup between 5-6 members
including bass, drums, keyboards, 2 guitarists and a female singer. With a range in age from
25-30 all of the members sing.
-
-
-
KAIRY MARQUEZ
Kairy Marquez was born in a modest town in Santiago, Dominican Republic. She is daughter to a garment worker and a former Aguilas del Cibao baseball player. Since her birth, her grandmother made sure that Christ, the Blessed Mother, and the Church were part of her life. She attended Resurrection Church in her hometown. Being their youngest choir member and attending the Legion of Mary meetings with her grandmother are some of her fondest childhood memories. This is also where she discovered her inclination to music.
Currently, Kairy is a full-time worship leader and speaker. He first Spanish album as a solo artist is named "Volar". In addition to ministering in events in the US, she tours with Cielo Abierto (www.cieloabierto.com.mx.), a Mexico-based production company that hosts eucharistic concerts in Mexico and Latin America. She has a special regard for Mother Teresa, St. Francis and St. Therese of Lisieux. Kairy lives in Atlanta, Georgia, USA with her husband Edwin and their two boys, Evan and Liam. She enjoys designing dresses with her mother, photography, fitness, eating out, songwriting, movies, nature, traveling, reading and cooking (and eating) anything with avocado!
-
-
-
JESS ECHEVERRY
Jess Echeverry is a woman and family advocate and speaker. She has survived parental divorce and alcholism, as well as emotional, physical and sexual abuse. Her testiminy inluceds dark times of physical and sexual violence, teenage pregnancy, years of homelessness, abortion, same sex attraction and two attempys at suicide. She has recently completed her first book, available fall 2020, titled “Dazzled” detailing her life experiences in a way that lifts up and enlightens others who are searching for ways to heal. She has been able to, with the help of God's grace, turn those past experiences, and all the healing that she has received along the way, into real, loving help for others.
-
-
-
LAUREN COSTABILE
Lauren Costabile is the Founder and Executive Director of Hearts of Joy International.
A New Jersey native, Lauren is a Speaker and fierce advocate for those with Down syndrome. She is deeply passionate about serving this population and showing the world the immense gift that these children are. Lauren graduated has over 13 years of experience working with children with special needs. After traveling to Uganda, East Africa in 2017, she witnessed firsthand how individuals with Down syndrome are disregarded and seen as a burden to society. As a result, these children are not receiving proper medical care and therefore are dying. This pierced Lauren’s heart and she was inspired to create a program exclusively for children with Down syndrome to receive proper cardiac treatment. In 2018, Hearts of Joy International was born. Lauren also counsels and provides education about Down syndrome and heart defects to families, communities and orphanages around the world. She believes that no matter what country you are born in or what your life circumstances are, every child deserves an equal chance at a happy and healthy life and will never stop fighting to make that possible!
-
-
-
FRANCIS CABILDO
Francis Cabildo is a So. Cal-based, Catholic worship leader and songwriter. He and his wife Nicole are raising 5 boys and he serves as the Director of Worship at USC Caruso Catholic Center. He holds a degree in Theology and is passionate about helping people discover God and to fall in love with Jesus and the Church. He has written a number of songs such as Lord of All, Surrender and Wildfires. Francis loves to help people pray through music and worship.
-
-
-
BRENDA NORIEGA
Brenda Noriega has been serving God's people and influencing her community from an early age at the parish, diocesan, regional and national levels. Brenda is a national speaker. Brenda earned a master's degree in pastoral ministries from Santa Clara University. She collaborates in national and international ministry committees, including the International Youth Advisory Body for the Vatican Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life in Rome. Brenda is passionate about a holistic and transformational pastoral approach that includes life, dignity, justice, and mission. She is currently a Ph.D. student in Theology and Education at the School of Theology and Ministry at Boston College. Her research project is on practices of everyday spirituality and faith formation processes with young people in the United States.
-
-
-
RICK AND MODESTA PULIDO
Ricardo and his lovely wife Modesta Pulido have been married for over 43 years. They have been blessed with seven wonderful children and four grandkids.
Modesta has served as a catechist, youth minister, founder of the pastoral council of St. Philomena Church in Carson where she also helped create the Social Justice Committee now known as Social Justice Ministry.
Ricardo also volunteers at St. Philomena Church and is a member of Knights of Columbus, Catholic Relief Services, Guadalupanas and Social Justice Ministries helping the poor, elderly, sick and homeless. Ricardo and Modesta both serve as mental health ministers for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.
Since 2010, both Rick and Modesta have been involved with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI/South Bay) which has given them the opportunity to be state trainers and to teach family to family classes and prepare other parents who want to be NAMI teachers and share their experiences with other families who have mental health problems. They both give thanks to God and Blessed Mother of Guadalupe for always being there with them in their hardest moments. Ricardo Pulido believes that LOVE makes the world go around and Healing from the Heart and Spiritual Mental Health really works!
Both look forward to sharing their family life journey at OneLife LA 2023!
-
-
-
BENITO MEDRANO
Benito Medrano is the Young Adult Ministry coordinator for the Diocese of Orange, CA. Previously, he worked for the Office of Formation and Evangelization in the Diocese of Fresno as Hispanic and Youth and Young Adult Ministry Coordinator which included ministry to migrant communities and Spanish-speaking apostolic movements. He has also served in the leadership team of Region XI’s Committee on Pastoral Juvenil, and as interim member-at-large in the executive board of LaRED, the National Catholic Network of Pastoral Juvenil Hispana.
Benito was born and raised in Guanajuato, Mexico and came to California at the age of 15 with his parents and four siblings where he studied Religious Studies.
-
-
-
MIKE AND PENNY MICHALAK
Mike and Penny Michalak have been happily married for 35 years. They are the proud parents of 16 children, 10 by way of adoption, and four who have the “Gift of Down syndrome,” as well as 6 grandchildren.
They are the founders of two charities, Immaculata Classical Academy, a Catholic school that includes both typical children and children with Down syndrome, as well as Angels in Disguise, whose mission is to, “Celebrate the Gift of Down syndrome.” The school has grown to include over 200 students and Angels in Disguise has helped many individuals and families by way of life saving adoption grants, life saving heart surgery grants, educational grants, among many other things. In their spare time they oversee MiPenico Inc., the family business they began 34 years ago. It has grown to employ over 400 people. Both charities and the family business are based in Louisville, Kentucky.
-
-
-
CHIKA ANYANWU
Chika Anyanwu is a Catholic evangelist, former Confirmation coordinator/youth & young adult minister, and the author of "My Encounter: How I Met Jesus in Prayer."
Her missionary zeal is inspired by a love of Christ and the Church, the lives of the saints, and a desire to see people live in the knowledge of their worth, while affirming the dignity of others.
Her love of God and neighbor enthuses her to share the gospel through testimony, scripture, and honest conversations about the difficult realities of faith and life. She’s a contributor to many Catholic publications, resources, and organizations, including: Blessed Is She, Ascension Press, Life Teen, Steubenville Conferences, FOCUS, and NFCYM. Chika is a part of a beautiful Nigerian family, loves her coffee black, and desires sainthood for herself and you, although bad drivers challenge her sanctity!
-
-
-
FATHER VICTOR TAGLIANETTI
Father Victor is a Capuchin Franciscan Friar and Priest, and a native of Southern California. As the Vocation Director of the Capuchin Franciscans in the west coast, he often travels to different cities and states, casting out nets in deep waters to draw vocations to the Church. Besides doing retreats, talks, and conferences, Father Vic loves to share the Gospel message through Catholic Rap music in live events, social media, and Spotify, going by the moniker, "Bro Vic." Being passionate about the dignity of all human life, Father Vic has even made music that addresses the "life" issue. He is excited and pumped to be the MC this year at One Life LA.
-
-
