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.

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