Darryl Childers
After 10 years of public service roles – with stints at the Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, and as a healthcare case manager – Darryl Childers made a connection that changed the trajectory of his career.
“I realized that many of the problems I saw families facing were really public policy issues with upstream, evidence-informed solutions,” Darryl explained “I decided to go to graduate school for a Master of Public Policy, which opened new opportunities like serving as a policy advisor for Governor Cooper and my current role at OSBM.”
Now Darryl leads a team of seven budget analysts in OSBM’s Budget Development Section. It’s a role he’s held since 2022.
He explains the work of budget development this way, “Every day is different. There are lots of meetings and shifting demands. Every so often (more often when the General Assembly is in town), the team and I will have an urgent research task to work on. This can be stressful, but it’s also a big part of the reason why I enjoy working at OSBM. I love managing a team of fellow problem solvers. I’m continually amazed by what the members of my team know and the experience they bring to OSBM.”
“You won’t ever get bored working at OSBM,” he added.
Outside of work, Darryl leads a different kind of team, with three kids ranging in age from 9 to 14. It’s problem solving, schedule juggling, and simply making time to be together.
“Our entire family enjoys listening to live music and going to outdoor shows, so we go to Durham Central Park or Moore Square or North Hills, or other performance spaces whenever possible. We also enjoy going to a new park like the new space at Dix Park, visiting our local library in N. Raleigh, or hanging out at a local brewery having beers (not the kids) and playing games (including the kids).”
Darryl also admits he’s been teaching his kids some of the same skills his team uses at OSBM to seek evidence-based solutions to their own challenges.
In addition to time with his family, outside of work Darryl enjoys a good Spartan Race (with plenty of mud and hills), reading, puzzles (no surprise), and eating at new (to him) restaurants.
Advice Darryl would offer to a someone starting out:
"It’s hard to appreciate just how much possibility is out there when you are young. But taking risks and failure are part of the process. You can’t reach your potential without stretching past the point where you’re comfortable.
And don’t forget to be present. Young and ambitious people often spend so much time thinking about the future and what could be on the horizon. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, but you can sometimes miss the awesomeness that is all around you if you’re too focused on what might be ahead."