Educator

HARVARD GRADUATE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION

MASTERS IN EDUCATION

Darren spent the academic year 2021-2022 earning his Masters degree at Harvard University, as part of the Education Leadership, Organizations, and Entrepreneurship program with an Arts & Learning concentration. A recipient of the Leadership in Education Award from HGSE, he charted a course of study that will allow him to deepen his work of institutionalizing effective arts-based programs for education and advocacy. He developed a new venture with the Harvard Innovation Lab, and researched topics like political polarization, group dynamics, organizational psychology, constructionism in curricular design, somatic abolitionism, queer theory, and arts-based learning.

A BROADERWAY foundation

PROGRAM DIRECTOR

A BroaderWay seeks to amplify the power of young women and gender expansive youth through the arts. Darren was a founding member of ABW in 2010; he collaborated on the creation of the curriculum and teaching philosophies for the four year Future Leader experience. Prioritizing an equitable educational environment, ABW is a movement that defines ‘justice’ as being fully seen and fully heard. Programs include: residential summer camp; school-year workshops and performances; Authorship series in songwriting, choreography, dramatic writing, and filmmaking; Leader-in-Training extension program; Internship program. Additionally, Darren produced 8 gala fundraisers in NYC and LA.

national youngarts foundation

DIRECTOR, PROGRAM DESIGNER, FACILITATOR

Darren was the co-director of the multidisciplinary performances in New York City (2019), and Miami (2020). He had the pleasure of leading 25 exemplary high school-aged artists from around the country in weeklong intensive programs, consisting of master classes, rehearsals, and workshops. They collaborated across disciplines of theatre, dance, voice, and songwriting to create original performances, which highlighted the students’ individual talents and their collective spirit.

In 2021, Darren and his colleagues designed and facilitated a virtual intensive focused on the creative process. Together, they investigated sourcing inspiration, collaboration, feedback and iteration, and expansive thinking with 40 high schoolers from across the country. This process intensive continues annually.

Higher Education

GUEST LECTURER, PRESENTER/FACILITATOR

Keynote Presenter
Social Emotional Learning Through the Arts, 2020
Building Community in Arts-Based Learning, 2021
Integrated Arts Conference of New Hampshire

Guest Lecturer
Creating Theatre, Creating Community 
Emerson College
Educational Leadership; Theatre & Social Change
Plymouth State University 

Facilitator
Town Hall: Agency through Identity and Artistry 
Harvard University Smith Campus Center
Pace University
Emory & Henry College

EXCELLENCE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS

TEACHER

Darren was one of 24 artists selected for a pilot program called ‘Club Excellence,’ to be implemented throughout the 11 schools in the ECS network in NYC and CT during the 2020-2021 school year. He devised the curriculum for a month-long course, for grades 5-8. Throughout the school year, Darren led 16 different classes of students ranging from remote learning to in-classroom instruction to hybrid environments. The course's exercises and assignments revealed how art drives society, and how theatre training can be a conduit for self-expression, investigation of collective and individual identities, effective communication and advocacy.