Born and raised in Taos New Mexico, Darin spent most of his free-time outdoors hiking, fishing, rock climbing, and volunteering with environment clean up acts around Taos county. At a young age his grandfather, a U.S. Forest Service Ranger in Tres Piedras, would often take Darin into the field with him and teach him the ways of the land and how to manage natural resources. Currently Darin applies those lessons of conservation and restoration methods on a piece of property in Arroyo Hondo South of the John Dunn Bridge.

Darin joined the CCC-LIFT program in Spring of 2020 to strengthen his academic success. He graduated in Spring of 2021 with an Associates in Pre-Science from UNM-Taos and is furthering his education at Adams State University in Alamosa Colorado, pursuing a Bachelors degree in Wildlife Biology.

During his time with the CCC-LIFT program, Darin has interned at both the Taos Land Trust and the U.S. Forest Service as a Wildlife Biology tech.