PAULA UMANA

Host of Gifts of Hope on EWTN · Ambassador of Hope

Paula Umana is an international Catholic speaker, retreat leader, trilingual communicator (English, Spanish, and French), and mother of five. Formerly the No. 1 professional tennis player in Central America, Paula’s life took a dramatic turn when she became paraplegic ten years ago due to a rare neurological condition. From this deep suffering emerged a powerful witness of faith and hope.

Today, Paula is a dynamic bilingual evangelist and the host of Gifts of Hope on EWTN, a program that shares inspiring testimonies of redemptive suffering. She is the author of the best-selling book 40 Gifts of Hope, the editor and publisher of Imitation of Christ for the Sick and Suffering, and the creator of the new Catholic Bible study Rediscovering Hope. She also collaborates with the Catholic platform Formed, creating resources that strengthen faith and resilience.

In July 2024, Paula was honored to serve as a keynote speaker at the National Eucharistic Congress, where she shared her testimony before tens of thousands. She also received a special personal blessing from Pope Leo XIV during his first public audience in Rome, marking a spiritual milestone in her apostolate. Learn more at: Paulaspeaker.com