Renato DePaolis will deliver a transformative talk, “The Wingman Effect: Learning, Leading, and Lifting Others,” sharing lessons from his journey as a Navy fighter pilot, cancer survivor, White House official, and business leader. Through his philosophy of The Wingman Effect, learning constantly, building personal readiness to serve, and being prepared to step up and lead when called, he shows how individuals and teams create the culture and confidence to perform at their highest potential.

A former Naval Aviator and Weapons School Instructor, Renato carried the nuclear football at the White House and served under both the Trump and Biden-Harris administrations. A collegiate football player and lifelong athlete, he brings the same discipline, resilience, and team-first mindset into his current role as a Strategic Operations Executive, guiding high growth companies. A graduate of MIT Sloan, Johns Hopkins SAIS, Boston College Law, and Tufts, he has built a life around learning, service, and reinvention. Grounded by Catholic faith, his experience as a cancer survivor, and fatherhood of six, he now lives on a mango farm in Southwest Florida, continuing his mission of building inclusive, high-performing organizations that thrive under pressure and deliver lasting impact.