Darius Bailey is a seasoned global security executive and a person with lived experience of homelessness. He brings more than 15 years of leadership experience in risk mitigation, crisis management, and executive protection to his advocacy work. Darius serves as a member of the Lived Experience Initiative for Transformation (LEIT) , the advisory board for Opening Doors Fairfield County Continuum of Care, where he has testified before the Connecticut legislature, contributed to coordinated entry system redesign, and helped develop sustainable engagement pathways for people with lived experience. 

Darius’s professional background includes serving as a Staff Sergeant and Team Lead with the United States Air Force Elite Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Team, where he led highly trained specialists on special operations missions alongside the Air Force Special Warfare Unit. As a liaison to the United States Secret Service, he is a trained Secret Service Agent with specialized executive protection experience domestically and abroad. His advanced training includes United States Advanced Improvised Explosive Device Disposal, Terrorist Threat Reduction, Airmen Leadership School, and Tactical Aircraft Maintenance. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations with a concentration in Globalization and Human Security from American Military University and an Associate of Science in Aerospace Technology and Explosive Physics from the Community College of the Air Force. 

Darius experienced homelessness twice—first at age 17, and again in 2024–2025 after leaving an unhealthy relationship. He credits Homes for the Brave with helping him regain stability. Today, he channels the same discipline, strategic thinking, and mission focus that kept his EOD team safe into the work of ending homelessness. He is committed to ensuring that systems are co‑designed with, not for, people with lived expertise—and that those experts are compensated, prepared, and respected as equal partners.