Lileana (Lily) de Moya is a longtime advocate for the rights of children and young adults with disabilities. She is a registered nurse who holds a BSN; she obtained her Master's Degree in Special Education, at the University of Miami and has extensive training in the fields of special education and disabilities. Mrs. de Moya joined Parent to Parent of Miami in 2001 and held the position of training director until 2006; she later served on the Board of Trustees and as the Board President. She was the founder and director of JAG Education Consultants; has held consultant positions with Florida International University, University of Miami School of Law and other community agencies; and founded Project Panther LIFE: Learning is for Everyone, a college transition program for students with developmental disabilities at Florida International University.
Currently Mrs. de Moya is the founder and CEO/President of The de Moya Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit that is committed to creating employment opportunities for young adults with unique abilities by building long term partnerships with the employers and providing support for the employees while fostering hope, confidence and independence to ensure successful employment outcomes and community inclusion. She founded DMF Employment Opportunities 6 years ago and in that time the program has placed over 140 individuals with Employers, has secured over 80 Employer Partners with an 85% retention rate for long term employment outcomes.
Mrs. de Moya has a long history of service to the Miami-Dade community. Governor Rick Scott appointed Mrs. de Moya to The Children's Trust Board of Directors in 2011, where she served as chair of the Program Services/Childhood Health Committee and served as vice-chair until 2018. She served on Florida International University's College of Education Dean's Advisory Council, the State Advisory Committee for the Education of Exceptional Students, and the University of Miami Mailman Center for Child Development Advisory Committee, the Florida International University Special Education Advisory Board and the State Secondary Transition Interagency Council. She was awarded the "Henry Bandier C.A.M.P for Justice Fellowship" by the University of Miami Children's Youth and Law Clinic for her work with children and young adults with disabilities in foster care. She has been honored as Junior League of Miami’s Women Who Make a Difference in 2020, Univision has selected Mrs. De Moya for their new Univisarios documentary series in 2022 and was one of four Ford’s Mujeres Legendarias in 2022. She was honored by South Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce with the Bernice advocacy award and in 2024 she was recognized as one of the 2024 Diversity and Inclusion honorees. She has two sons, Jorge and Alex. Alex has very unique abilities and is the engine that keeps the train moving. She is blessed with three grandchildren, Alice, James and Violet.
