Orange County Executive Steven M. Neuhaus hosted the County’s annual Orange County Leadership Prayer Breakfast on Wednesday, October 18 at The Barn at Villa Venezia in Middletown.

Motivational speaker Gian Paul Gonzalez was the keynote at the event. Approximately 300 Orange County residents and other guests were in attendance.

“Gian Paul shared a message of commitment and positivity that isn’t limited to the courts and fields, but should translate into all areas of our lives,” Neuhaus said. “He really connected with our attendees and we were honored to have him as our guest. My thanks to the Prayer Breakfast Committee, the staff at The Barn, the other powerful speakers and everyone who helped put together the event and joined us for a wonderful morning.”
Gonzalez founded and is the Executive Director of the community-based youth initiative, Hope + Future. He and his wife, Liz Christenson-Gonalez, are devoted to empowering the youth in their community.

Gonzalez is also managing a successful career as a motivational speaker, which began in 2011 when his words inspired a local football franchise to greatness. In December 2011, Gonzalez, then a first-year history teacher, was invited to offer words of inspiration to the New York Giants. Skeptical that the invite was real, and nervous about what he would say if it was, he accepted. The invite was real, and with his famous “All In” speech, Gonzalez motivated some of the country’s most elite athletes to turn their season around and win the 2012 NFL Super Bowl.

Gonzalez’s words to the Prayer Breakfast audience encouraged them to consider if they are “All In” in their faith, families work and lives.