Darleen Santore - “Coach Dar”
SENIOR FELLOW
Darleen Santore, better known as “Coach Dar,” is an author, Licensed and Board-Certified Occupational Therapist, sought-after motivational speaker, former Phoenix Suns Mental Skills Coach, plus a leadership and mental edge coach to professional athletes, CEOs and business leaders around the world. Her new best-selling book, “The Art of Bouncing Back: Find Your Flow to Thrive at Work and in Life – Anytime You’re off your Game” (McGraw Hill), was released in February 2023.
The book's inspiration was evoked after bouncing back from a back from her own myriad of life challenges, including three strokes over the past 24 years, and is driven to help people awaken their greatness and live out their purpose. As a therapist, executive advisor and mental edge coach, Coach Dar blends a knowledge of science, psychology and leadership with her personal passion for life.
Best known for her mental strength conditioning work with athletes in the NBA, NFL, MLB, PGA and NHL, Coach Dar most recently worked as the mental conditioning and life coach for the Phoenix Suns. Her reach to pro-athletes significantly helps players up their game, overcome obstacles, gain a mental edge, get out of “slumps” and become better leaders with purpose on and off the court.
Her coaching reaches far beyond the sports world to work with Fortune 100 executives, world leaders, artists and students. Coach Dar’s unique style and approach during transformational seminars, high impact speaking engagements, and exclusive one-on-one sessions illuminate mindset shifts like say “no” to the status quo, raise the bar in life, break free to breakthrough, and to reignite their hearts to live a purposeful life.
Coach Dar is also the United States Ambassador for the Global Pay It Forward Day Initiative and is an Ambassador for the international lifestyle brand lululemon. She has been honored by the WNBA with the Most Inspiring Women Award, was named a Trailblazer in Phoenix by Voyager Phoenix, and received the 2022 Diamond Award for Coaching Excellence in Professional Sports. She is also a founding member of WISH (Women in Service and Hope) in Phoenix, which is part of St. Vincent de Paul.
Coach Dar, who resides in Scottsdale, Arizona, has been seen on Fox Sports, TODAY, Good Morning America, The 700 Club, The List, SiriusXM Radio and on many shows and in publications nationwide.
