Coach Darnell is an alcohol and drug counselor, licensed by the state of Minnesota. He began his corrections career as a corrections officer at the Lino Lakes Correctional Facility in 1994. In 1997, he transferred to Red Wing Correctional Facility and became a case manager and therapist for high risk juveniles within the state criminal justice system until 2005. In February 2005, he returned to Lino Lakes Correctional Facility as a therapist in the chemical dependency program until his retirement from the department in July 2019. Baker also worked for Ramsey County Juvenile Division from 1995 to 2005 and served as a hostage negotiator for the Minnesota Department of Corrections from 2014 to 2019. Baker played a role in the development of the 2019 New Directions Cognitive Behavioral/Chemical Dependency Curriculum created in collaboration by the Hazelden Betty Ford Treatment Centers and the Department of Corrections. Coach Darnell brings a wealth of experience to Ujamaa Place and says it has been a true honor working to assist African American men in transforming their lives for the past 25 years.