Darien Sears has worn many uniforms — from the Navy blues to the entrepreneur’s blazer. A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and MIT, she spent over a decade serving her country as a naval officer and engineer before God charted a new course for her life: leadership development.
Today, Darien is helping men and women at every level of leadership discover their purpose, surrender to God’s direction, and build healthy, high-performing teams through her work with Surrender Network and Armored & Anchored.
A Journey of Service and Surrender
Darien grew up in Silver Spring, Maryland, before earning her commission from the Naval Academy and serving on ships out of San Diego. Her years in the Navy were marked by excellence, leadership, and transition — including a season at MIT, where she earned dual degrees in engineering and business management.
It was there, in the quiet hours of study during COVID-19, that God began to shift her heart.
“I realized I had more passion for helping people than for engineering systems,” Darien shared. “I wanted to serve in a way that helped people grow, lead, and live in wholeness.”
That desire would soon lead her from active duty into a new mission — helping leaders walk in surrendered strength.
Armored & Anchored: Built for Endurance
Before joining Surrender Network, Darien founded Armored & Anchored, a movement focused on holistic fitness and leadership health.
“It started as a fitness vision,” she said, “but God kept showing me that leaders need to be fit in every way — spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically — to withstand the weight of their calling.”
That conviction still drives her today. Her message: leaders must be armored for endurance and anchored in eternal purpose.
The Surrender Network: Leading at Every Level
Now serving alongside Eddie Herrera and the Surrender Network team, Darien helps organizations develop transformational leaders who lead through humility, awareness, and alignment.
Their mission?
“To multiply healthy leaders and cultures by helping people lead themselves well — and lead others from a place of full surrender.”
Through executive coaching, leadership cohorts, and culture-building workshops, Surrender Network partners with local businesses and ministries to unlock potential and strengthen unity across teams.
The Core of Leadership: Trust and Awareness
When asked what makes or breaks a great team, Darien’s answer is clear: trust.
“Trust is the foundation of every effective team. Without it, communication erodes, alignment breaks down, and execution fails.”
Darien and her team use a framework called Know Yourself to Lead Yourself — a process of deep self-awareness that helps leaders identify their default tendencies, replace unhealthy habits, and lead with authenticity.
“You have to take the log out of your own eye first,” she said. “Leadership begins with leading yourself.”
Leading Together — Not Alone
Darien believes unity and collaboration are non-negotiable for healthy leadership. Drawing from Ephesians 4, she reminds leaders that every person and every role matters:
“When each part of the body works properly, the whole body grows in love.”
Whether it’s the CEO or the janitor, Darien sees leadership as a team effort — a network of people working synergistically toward shared purpose.
“No one reaches success alone,” she emphasized. “We’re all designed to build together — for each other’s highest good.”
Advice for the Next Generation
To young professionals stepping into leadership, Darien offers simple, powerful advice:
“Trust God with your path. You don’t need to have it all figured out. Surrender doesn’t mean giving up — it means giving over your control to the One who knows you best.”
Her message to emerging leaders echoes through her work, her story, and her faith:
Stay anchored in purpose. Stay armored in truth. Lead with humility.
Learn More & Get Connected
🌐 SurrenderNetwork.com — Leadership development for healthy teams and cultures.
📅 Free 90-Minute Healthy Culture Seminar: Explore how trust, surrender, and purpose can transform your team.