Naples Illustrated – September 2019

NAPLESILLUSTRATED.COM | SEPTEMBER 2019 57

Like many young parents, Claudia Dal Lago and her husband, Mike, left a big

city for a more family-focused quality of life. “We set our sights on Naples, where

my brother and his family settled,” she says. “My husband received a job offer in

Naples, and we have never looked back.”

The public relations maven, who was born and raised in Panama City, Panama,

says when she first visited New York City at age 7, she told her parents that one

day she would work in “one of those skyscrapers.” She did, and with great success.

After relocating to Naples, she opened her own agency to help businesses develop

and execute effective marketing and PR strategies. “I’m most proud of the business

I created and the level of success it has achieved.”

While her career keeps her busy, both she and Mike, who founded and runs Dal

Lago Law, are devoted to their two sons. Together, the family likes to bike, bowl,

and spend time at the beach. Dal Lago also makes an effort to give back. She’s

served as a guild member at the Golisano Children’s Museum of Naples, for exam-

ple, and has worked with the Hunger & Homeless Coalition of Collier County.

Dal Lago is a woman of many talents. She played competitive tennis in junior

high and was even on the Panamanian tennis team. Today, she enjoys cooking

and entertaining, and often whips up dishes such as ceviche and empanadas from

scratch. She and her family also have a passion for trying new restaurants, both in

Naples and on vacation. “I sometimes book travels based on where and when I can

get my dinner reservations,” she says.

RISING

STARS

Meet five young Neapolitans who have planted roots on the Paradise Coast

and are making an impact through business and philanthropy

BY KAT SMITH | PHOTOGRAPHY BY VANESSA ROGERS

CLAUDIA DAL LAGO

Founder and President, Ella Creations, Naples

Shot on location at Aqua at Pelican Isle, Naples