Hi, Anna Darian here!

I’m a storyteller, facilitator, urban planner, and memorialist. I help change-makers around the world become more impactful leaders by learning the art of storytelling.

I’m based in Tucson, Arizona, raised in France, and the daughter of Armenian immigrants. I’m a seeker and pilgrim who finds peace getting lost on the trail with my pup.

Since 2017, I have offered storytelling workshops and 1:1 coaching that have helped hundreds of people find power in their voice.

More recently, my work has entered the world of memorialization, where I have combined my profession as an urban planner and my passion as a storyteller to lead meaningful community engagement and dialogue.

After a lifetime of hearing the stories of my own Armenian ancestors who have carried the legacy of genocide and forced migration, I am interested in exploring how we can find healing and reconciliation through bearing witness to each other’s stories.

Traditional Education:

• Bachelor’s in political science from the University of Arizona

• Master’s in urban planning and policy from the American University of Beirut in Lebanon.

My Story

Trust me when I say that the first time I took the stage, I was far from an acclaimed performer. I was working a soul crushing job in city government and my life was a groundhog’s day repetition of packing my lunch, grabbing my gym bag, and taking a suffocating elevator ride to the top of city hall.

From the moment I heard the “ding” of the elevator doors opening, I knew it was showtime! But not the fun kind. The one where all my words were censored, scripted, careful to not cause a scandal.

Then I saw some friends doing this thing called “storytelling”, I was in awe that they were getting on stage and sharing their deep, real, and vulnerable stories to crowds of complete strangers.

A small voice inside me said, you could do this too…

It took me a year to build up the courage to get on stage myself, but when I did, the shift was immediate! I had never felt such a rush. I was surprised to see that when I didn’t censor myself, I actually wanted to be seen. The connections I felt with people in the audience fed my soul.

But then, the morning alarm would ring, and back to city hall I went.

Until I snapped and couldn’t stop asking myself one question!

Why do we have to split our personalities between a “professional” character and our true selves?

When I started my story coaching business in 2017, I only had one goal.

Help us all remain human all day long. Tell the truth. Align our words with what we really feel and think.

Check out the real life evolution of me from my days in city hall to stepping on my first stage, to teaching my first workshop and now just being me!

What I’ve seen from helping countless individuals uncover their unique voice is that telling your story not only makes you way more successful with your professional goals, but telling the truth is the single most powerful way to become a more confident and succinct speaker, whether you’re sitting down for a 1:1 meeting, a high-pressure job interview, or speaking to large crowd.

So tell your story, and let yourself be seen!

Let’s work together!

I offer a variety of ways for you to embark on people to embark on their storytelling journey. Check out the ways we can work together!