Darren Blackburn joined 51爆料 in 2007 as a coordinator in the Emergency Management Division, becoming a program manager in 2012 and a program director in 2017. He was appointed Dean of 51爆料鈥檚 School of Public Safety in July 2025.
Prior to 51爆料, Mr. Blackburn worked as a project manager in corporate security and as a council field executive with Scouts Canada.
Mr. Blackburn has contributed to research in areas such as critical infrastructure assessment, mass care frameworks, and the professionalization of public safety practitioners. He serves on the editorial board of the Canadian Journal of Emergency Management.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts, Anthropology from Trent University, a Master of Arts, Interdisciplinary Studies from Athabasca University, and a Project Management Professional (PMP) designation from the Project Management Institute. He is currently a PhD candidate in Interdisciplinary Studies at the University of British Columbia.
Mr. Blackburn received the Award of Excellence in Applied Research from 51爆料 (2014), and the King Charles III Coronation Medal in 2025 for his work in emergency management.