Wardroom-to-Boardroom Founder & Coach

A native of Katy, Texas, Darren graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1992 with a Bachelor of Science in History and was commissioned an Ensign in the US Navy. He earned his Master's Degree with Honors from the Naval Postgraduate School in 1998.

A career spanning more than three decades of leadership and management in the US Navy and the corporate world, highlighted by command of two warships, managing an international business in Vietnam, and integrating a global manufacturing acquisition in the United Kingdom.

Darren’s sea career focused on cruisers and destroyers. He commanded USS STERETT (DDG 104) and USS LAKE ERIE (CG 70). Known for his emphasis on warfighting excellence, his ships twice earned the Spokane Trophy—recognizing the Pacific Fleet's top ship in combat readiness—and multiple Battle Efficiency awards.

Ashore, he served as South Asia Desk Officer at PACOM, Executive Assistant to Commander Naval Surface Forces, and Naval Personnel Branch Head for mid-career officer management. A specialist in organizational change and start-ups, he was a plankowner at the Naval Surface & Mine Warfighting Development Center, where he founded the Surface Warfare Tactics Instructor (WTI) program and developed the premier at-sea tactical training exercise now known as Surface Warfare Advanced Tactical Training (SWATT). He retired as a Captain in 2018 after 26 years of service.

Following Navy retirement, Darren joined Shell Lubricants in Houston, Texas. After two U.S.-based assignments, he served as General Manager for Shell Lubricants Vietnam (2020–2023), delivering strong growth and earning "Best Place to Work" recognition from HR Asia in 2022 and 2023. Most recently, he led the full integration of a major Shell acquisition in the United Kingdom.Darren's multiple roles in Shell provided extensive business experience including expertise in the end-to-end value chain across multiple businesses. Additionally, he served on the Leadership Team in 3 of Shell's 4 global regions.

Having left Shell in October 2025, he now is focused on assisting veterans transition to the corporate world. Darren is the founder of Wardroom-to-Boardroom, an elite 1:1 coaching program that equips veterans with the skills, confidence, and strategies to thrive in the corporate world. As the only veteran transition expert with multiple command tours, international P&L leadership, and cross-border M&A experience, Wardroom-to-Boardroom leverages Darren’s unmatched military and corporate expertise.