"Anyone who does anything to help a child in his life is a hero to me."

Hi, I'm Darby Ahlfinger

Founder of Lead and Learn Educational Consulting

This is my Story 

As someone who grew up with disabilities, struggling with reading, spelling, and the confusion of knowing I was capable of more but not understanding how to bridge the gap, I’ve lived this journey. My mother, like so many parents, didn't know how to help me, despite her love and best efforts. Once I learned to accommodate my challenges and advocate for myself, I began to thrive—earning multiple post-secondary degrees and serving in high levels of leadership. As an adult, for years, I dedicated myself to serving thousands of children with disabilities, striving to create meaningful change on a large scale. While I found fulfillment in this work, I began to feel a tug at my heart. Serving the many often left me unable to deeply connect with and transform the life of the one child standing right in front of me.

This reflection brought to my mind the story of the starfish:

An old man walks along a beach littered with starfish, stranded and dying as the tide recedes. In the distance, he notices a young boy picking up starfish one by one and throwing them back into the ocean. Curious, the man approaches and asks, "Why are you wasting your time? There are thousands of starfish here. You can’t possibly make a difference." The boy pauses, holds up a starfish, and replies, "It makes a difference to this one," before tossing it into the water.

This story encapsulates why I am here, to impact the future of one child at a time through coaching, advocating, and providing training. 

I would be honored to make a difference for your child in this way.