2026 Speakers

Jeff Joaquin

Jeff Joaquin is a passionate speaker with a no-holds-barred approach to proclaiming God’s Infinite Mercy in our lives.  He has given talks on abortion healing, pro-life, substance abuse, business success/failure and charity for high school students and at men’s conferences and retreats all over the country.

His abortion healing talk has received national attention and has been the subject of a documentary by Stellar Cinematics on EWTN and has been played on TMIY, Formed.org, Shalom Media, Heroic Men and countless other media outlets.

Jeff is a member of the Board of Directors of Catholic Men’s Leadership Alliance (Heroic Men).

He is a member of the Board of Directors of Paradisus Dei which is the ministry that provides the That Man Is You! (TMIY) program to over 975 parishes across the United States and several countries oversees.  For more than 17 years Jeff has been actively involved in spreading the TMIY program on a local, regional and national level and recently provided content for three different sessions which are part of the Year 7 and 8 programming for TMIY.

Jeff also owns a philanthropic construction company that supports worthy ministries around the world, from the Philippines, India, Kenya, Central African Republic, Guatemala, Jerusalem and the U.S.

Jeff and his wife Sandy have one daughter and reside in Tampa, Florida.

 

Paula Umaña

Paula Umaña is a Hope Ambassador, award-winning athlete, international speaker, author, and TV host. A former #1 tennis player in Costa Rica and Central America, she built her life on perseverance and excellence. Yet after the birth of her fifth child, Paula faced her greatest battle: a sudden diagnosis of CIDP, a neurological disorder that left her completely paralyzed. What could have been a story of defeat became a story of profound faith, courage, and triumphant hope.

Today, Paula inspires audiences across the United States and Latin America through powerful keynotes at women’s conferences, parish missions, retreats, schools, and corporate events. Her unique message teaches what no one else dares to: how to manage suffering, how to grow stronger through trials, and how to transform pain into purpose. With her signature authenticity, humor, and faith, Paula delivers talks that will make you laugh, cry, and leave transformed.

She is the author and editor of three inspiring books:

  • 40 Gifts of Hope, a guide to finding meaning and strength during life’s most difficult trials.

  • Rediscovering Hope, an 8-week Bible study designed for individuals, groups of friends or families, and parish communities seeking healing, renewal, and deeper trust in God.

  • Imitation of Christ for the Sick and Suffering, a timeless spiritual treasure originally written by a Catholic priest in 1958. The Pontifical Mission Societies in Madrid, Spain, granted Paula Umaña the privilege to publish Edition Number 22 of this extraordinary work — a powerful source of comfort and strength for those enduring great trials.

Paula is also the host of her own EWTN television program, Gifts of Hope, where she shares extraordinary testimonies of resilience, healing, and the transforming power of faith.

A mother of five, a Catholic woman of deep devotion, and a speaker fluent in English, Spanish, and French, Paula lives what she preaches: resilience, joy, and a life anchored in the hope of Christ. Her story — from total paralysis to walking again with miraculous leg devices — is intimately linked to her deep devotion to Mary, particularly Our Lady of Lourdes, through whom she received tangible miracles.

    ✨ Hope is not a feeling. Hope is a decision — a way of life.

–  Paula Umaña