Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

By Mandy Haggerson

For the Clemmons Courier

Darien Sutton learned from an early age that surrounding yourself with kind, hardworking and like-minded people made life that much more enjoyable. From the age of 5 years old and on, she loved participating in active extracurricular activities. Sutton participated in dance, summer swim team and soccer. Having a real knack for all of her interests helped her excel with all of her passions from accomplishing en pointe while dancing three times a week and earning a spot in the University of North Carolina School of the Arts annual Nutcracker program to an elite soccer team based in Greensboro.

“Around the end of middle school, I realized that I had to choose between my love for soccer and dance because what was required was pretty time consuming. Ultimately, I picked soccer,” Sutton said. “Although, my mom says I was a much more graceful soccer player from dance.” 

Some of Sutton’s soccer teammates ended up becoming lifelong friends.

“We really enjoyed playing together, and everyone shared a love for competition and trying to better our abilities. Six of my teammates even ended up playing at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where I attended college,” Sutton said. “It was fun that my teammates wanted to attend the college that I had always known was my top choice. Both of my parents were graduates, and so I was a lifelong Tar Heel. It was the only school I applied to.”

After graduating from Forsyth Country Day School where Sutton was an integral part of their soccer program winning back-to-back state championships, she headed to Chapel Hill with her high school sweetheart and future husband, Scott.

“Initially, I had planned to go into medicine and become a doctor, however, I changed my mind and ended up majoring in English with a minor in chemistry. I wasn’t quite sure what to do with what I selected, so after I graduated from college, I back packed around Europe for 2.5 months with some of my former teammates from my Greensboro soccer team. Back then we had no cell phones, we called our families from pay phones, and checked our email in internet cafés. It was such a great experience. Our families joined us on our last 2 weeks in Europe in Italy which was a fun way to culminate the adventure,” Sutton said. 

When Sutton returned to the United States, she worked at various jobs that would lead her to going back to school.

“I decided at that point I wanted to do something with business and thought I would have more opportunities if I earned my master of business administration at the University of South Carolina in Columbia. I had always really liked math and wanted to apply those skills where I got a job. I was excited when I got my dream job at Exxon in Washington, D.C., in corporate finance,” Sutton said. 

After two years working in the nation’s capitol, Sutton had to make some big decisions.

“Scott and I got engaged and were married in 2008. He had to match into a residency program, and we decided to come back to Winston-Salem where our families lived,” Sutton said. “My parents have a cabin on their property, and we lived there for about 7 years. During that time, we had our two daughters, Harper in 2013 and Reade in 2014. I also found a wonderful professional opportunity as the director of enterprise risk and quantitative consulting. They were really flexible when my daughters were younger with allowing me to work from home and adjust my hours to 30 hours a week. This was before teleworking became as popular as it is today, so I was grateful.”

Setting professional boundaries allowed Sutton to really enjoy all the joys that came with motherhood too.

“Being a mom has really taught me what matters in what I prioritize which probably isn’t always myself,” Sutton said. “However, I do have to set boundaries for myself and for them. Whether we are at their sporting events or doing a family activity, seeing the amount of joy in them is the most rewarding aspect of parenting. I just love getting to experience life through their eyes.” 

Part of experiencing life together is being a role model for how to be a good community member. One of their close family friends has a child, Quinn, that has Down syndrome.

“Quinn and her parents are such a huge part of our life, that they inspired me to want to do more to help advocate for her,” said Sutton. “About 9 years ago, I joined the board of directors for the Down Syndrome Association of Greater Winston-Salem. They put on a lot of local events that allow advocacy, education, and opportunities for families in our community. I’ve enjoyed all the fundraising events that create awareness and necessary funds to accomplish this mission. Our next event will be on Nov. 6 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at East of Texas Restaurant. Some of the children we advocate for will be assisting the host and wait staff to help promote employment for them and other members in the community. It brings such energy and excitement, and the added benefit of having delicious food with some talented people. 

“It’s all about the bigger picture as a parent and being a good person. I’m always inspired by people helping other people in whatever capacity they can. That was something I was taught by both of my parents, and it’s something that I see my kids realizing is important too which is so rewarding.”