ABOUT
I've run a marathon in North Korea. I've taught English in Japan and Mexico. I've led international exchanges across four continents. And I co-founded a social enterprise that put 165 low-income men and women back to work.
Those experiences may seem unrelated. To me, they're all connected. They trace back to one experience in 1993.
I was 15 years old when I reluctantly walked into the International Leadership Academy, a two-week youth program of Fort Worth Sister Cities. About 100 students from Fort Worth and its sister cities around the world came together to learn about leadership, culture, and one another.
I didn't know it at the time, but those two weeks would become the first domino in my life. They opened my eyes to other cultures, other countries, and possibilities I hadn't imagined for myself.
That was my 1993.
Since then, my work has crossed business, government, philanthropy, and international engagement. Each chapter began with an experience that expanded what I believed was possible.
None of that is really the point. The experiences behind it are.
Certain moments in our lives change what we think is possible. Sometimes we recognize them immediately. Sometimes we don't understand their significance until years later. And sometimes the opportunity that could change everything is one we're tempted to walk right past.
I call those moments our 1993s.
As a speaker, facilitator, and emcee, I help people recognize those experiences: the ones that shaped who they are, the ones waiting in front of them, and the ones they have the power to create for someone else.
Because one experience can change the trajectory of a life.
It changed mine.
CARLO'S BIO
Carlo Capua is a keynote speaker, emcee, facilitator, civic leader and social entrepreneur based in Fort Worth, Texas. His signature keynote, Finding Your 1993: The Power of One Experience, explores how a single person, opportunity, risk or second chance can change what someone believes is possible.
Today, Carlo serves as an advisor to the Rainwater Charitable Foundation, collaborating on select projects that advance economic opportunity for families and communities across North Texas.
Previously, Carlo served as Chief of Strategy and Innovation for the City of Fort Worth and Deputy Chief of Staff to Mayor Mattie Parker, helping lead initiatives ranging from long-range urban strategy and innovation to planning connected with the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Carlo is the immediate past chair of the national Board of Directors of Sister Cities International, one of the world’s largest citizen-diplomacy organizations. His connection to international exchange began as a teenager, when an experience in 1993 changed the trajectory of his own life and eventually inspired Finding Your 1993.
After earning a business degree from Texas Christian University, Carlo spent seven years teaching English in Japan and Mexico and became fluent in Japanese and Spanish. Nearly two decades after completing his undergraduate degree, he returned to school and earned a master’s degree in International Relations from Harvard University.
As one of Fort Worth’s early social entrepreneurs, Carlo co-founded Z’s Café, an award-winning social enterprise that created 165 jobs for people facing barriers to employment and later helped provide 150,000 meals to food-insecure residents during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2026, Carlo received the Commendation of the Head of the Japanese Diplomatic Mission for his contributions to strengthening U.S.–Japan relations. That same year, he was selected as a U.S. finalist for the Defender Trophy, a demanding wilderness competition in British Columbia involving off-road driving, navigation, physical challenges and night operations.
An endurance athlete, Carlo has completed 19 marathons—including the Pyongyang Marathon in North Korea—and an Ironman triathlon. He is president of the Fort Worth Forum and lives in Fort Worth with his wife, Dr. Rachael Carranza Capua.
Carlo with his Italian host brother, Francesco, in 1993 - the experience that started it all.
Honors
2026 Defender Trophy North America Finalist — Land Rover
2026 Commendation of the Head of the Japanese Diplomatic Mission
2026 Fort Worth Business Press Man of Impact Award
2025 Diplomat Award from Mary Jean Eisenhower
2022 Harvard University Derek Bok Public Service Prize
Fort Worth Inc.’s 400 Most Influential People (2021, 2022)
2019 Businessman of the Year, Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber
2019 “Man Enough to Be a Girl Scout”, Girl Scouts of TX-OK
2018 Fort Worth Business Plan Competition Winner
2017 Small Business of the Year
2015 Community Hero Award for social entrepreneurship
2014 Texas Christian University Outstanding Young Professional
2013 40 Under 40 Honoree