
Darrah D.
Transformative Leadership Coach | Ex-CEO | 20+ Years of Experience
Studied at Brown University
Works at The Direforza Group
Available Saturday at 5:00 PM UTC
Questions? Start chatting with this coach before you get started.
Darrah's Coaching Offerings
Custom hourly · $250/hr
Get help with Succession Planning, Decision Making, and .
Darrah also coaches for Leadership Coaching and Corporate Development. View all.
Darrah’s Executive Coaching Qualifications
Coaches professionally
Experience level: Executive
100+ people coached for Executive Coaching
Welcome to my profile! With over two decades of leadership experience, I am the Founder and Principal of The Direforza Group, where I empower leaders, teams, and boards to unlock their full potential in today's dynamic world. Previously, as the President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest, I led the organization through significant growth, managing a budget increase from $42M to $125M and overseeing 750+ employees and volunteers. My strategic vision and governance expertise have been instrumental in advancing equity and optimizing organizational impact. I am passionate about helping executives develop the skills, strategies, and confidence needed to lead effectively on today's complexity. Let's connect to explore how I can support your leadership journey.
Darrah can help with:
Succession Planning
Decision Making
Strategy
Communication Skills
Board Relations
Team Management
Leadership Development
Darrah also coaches for Leadership Coaching and Corporate Development. View all.
About Darrah
Darrah partners with leaders, teams, and boards to strengthen governance, deepen leadership capacity, and navigate complexity with clarity and confidence. Her work blends strategic advising, coaching, facilitation and speaking to help individuals and organizations grow in ways that are both human-centered and high-performing. She is a former CEO, visionary leader, and strategist with more than 25 years of experience building high-performing teams, fostering inclusive cultures, and empowering organizations, leaders, and boards to thrive. Known for her engaging, grounded, and results-driven style, Darrah is deeply committed to helping leaders navigate complexity with clarity, integrity, and resilience. A former healthcare executive, Darrah led complex transformation efforts, strengthened governance practices, and built long-term organizational resilience. She is a trusted thought partner and transformational leader—combining sharp strategic insight with deep coaching expertise, dynamic facilitation, and compelling public speaking. At her core, Darrah is passionate about helping leaders and teams unlock insight and move forward with purpose. In a world where demands rarely pause, Darrah creates space for reflection, alignment, and growth—offering structured coaching, tailored facilitation, and thought-provoking presentations that help leaders rise above the noise, reconnect with their values, and lead with renewed clarity and intention.
Work Experience

Founder & Principal
The Direforza Group
March 2025 - Present
As Founder and Principal of The Direforza Group (TDG), Darrah channels her deep expertise and leadership training to partner with leaders, teams, and boards in unlocking their full potential. TDG supports leaders with the skills, strategies, and confidence to lead effectively in this rapidly changing world.
Founder & Former CEO
Planned Parenthood
January 2006 - March 2025
Darrah’s career has spanned a remarkable arc of service at Planned Parenthood. From 2006-2025, she was the President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest (PPPSW) leading the organization’s tremendous growth from a budget of 42M to 125M. Steering 750+ employees and volunteers to reach 130,000+ people annually across 20 health centers, she architected a compelling strategic vision to meet the mission of advancing health care equity. This included inspiring alignment with the board and staff in planning and implementing evolving strategies to ensure impact. Darrah also established new governance models, recruiting a highly skilled, diverse board to optimize fiduciary, strategic, and generative oversight. Despite significant economic hurdles and external pressures, Darrah catapulted financial reserves through donor support and effective financial decision-making.
Education
Brown University
LPCC Certification Training , Leadership Coaching
2025 - 2025
Through the ACT Program at Brown University's School of Professional Studies, I have been trained as a Leadership Coach.
The College of New Jersey
Master of Arts - MA, Counseling Psychology
1998 - 2002
Counseling Psychology, Client Counseling and +2 skills
The College of New Jersey
Bachelor of Arts - BA, Elementary Education and Teaching
1989 - 1994