President & Founder of Darden Group, LLC​

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Akilah W. Darden, MBA LEED BD+C, is a renowned award-winning entrepreneur and trailblazing woman in the construction industry. As the President and Founder of The Darden Group, LLC, Akilah leads an executive construction management and training firm that specializes in large, complex commercial projects. Under her leadership, The Darden Group has gained recognition for its commitment to diversity, being a certified WBE, MBE, DBE, WOSB, and ACDBE firm.

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In addition to her entrepreneurial success, Akilah serves as the Director of Diversity & Inclusion at Indiana University Health Design & Construction, where she is responsible for implementing diversity goals on a $4.6 billion project. She has successfully doubled diverse spending, engaging over 115 diverse vendors and employing more than 400 diverse workforce members in just two years. With over 25 years of experience managing over $2 billion in commercial projects, Akilah is passionate about promoting equity in construction, while also mentoring and empowering future generations of leaders.