Alyssa Rafael

About

Actress, singer, producer, and presenter who was named on Forbes' prodigious "30 Under 30" list in 2021. She executive produced and coordinated the Disney Launchpad program earlier that year, which provided directors from underrepresented backgrounds with the opportunity to produce a short film for the Disney+ streaming platform. Since 2020, she has worked as Manager of the Walt Disney Studios' Representation, Inclusion, Strategies & Engagement (RISE) team. She also hosted the 3-day D23 Expo Live Ultimate Disney Fan Event in 2022. 

Before Fame

She graduated from the University of La Verne in 2016 with a degree in communications and public relations. While attending, she was the recipient of the university's "Best Social Media Campaign" award and offered the Francis Warren Baker Scholar Prize by the Sigma Kappa Sorority. From 2013 to 2020, she performed as Mulan in the musical showcase "Mickey and the Magical Map" at Disneyland resort in California. 

Trivia

In 2020, she co-founded the clothing brand Kuyate, named after the Filipino words for brother (Kuya) and sister (Ate). The brand celebrates Filipino culture and its kuyateco Instagram account has featured photos of famous Filipino celebrities donning some of the brand's apparel, including film actor Dante Basco, pop singer Niko Del Rey, stage actress Jennifer Paz, and YouTube star Gabe Bondoc.

Family Life

She married YouTube star and singer AJ Rafael in August 2022. She has shared several photos and videos from their blissful union on her alyssarafael Instagram account. The pair released a song titled "Counting Down to Christmas" with singer and radio host Jim Brickman in 2022.

Associated With

At the D23 Expo Live Ultimate Disney Fan Event in 2022, she had the opportunity to interview the cast from the beloved Disney film Encanto, including Carolina Gaitán, Diane Guerrero, and Wilmer Valderrama.