Create Value, Deliver Excellence...
Experienced National security Consulting
Welcome
Diligent Innovations is a small, Veteran-owned
Defense and National Security firm specializing in supporting the Strategy & Policy needs of a variety of DoD and other IC customers.
What We Do
Client Success is Our Success
At Diligent we recognize that our mission is to help you succeed at your mission. From developing high-level national strategies to implementing annual budget funding, we have a holistic approach that is marked by excellent people with the right knowledge and skills to make sure you succeed.
Technical Staff
Diligent's staff represent a diverse mixture of men and women with deep experience across the realms of military, civilian, and industrial careers. All have the requisite security clearances for specialized work and related technical certifications in addition to distinctive educational & professional bona fides.
Day-to-Day and Deep Dives
Diligent's staff often embed within a client's spaces to provide best of breed SETA and support work. We also maintain a cadre of highly experienced national security professionals that provide more discrete analytical products and strategies for success based on a 3, 6 or 9 month deep-dive projects.
DILIGENT INNOVATIONS In-Brief
Our Approach
Our services include dedicated on-site support and staffing solutions for bespoke government clients as well as project-based deep dives and strategic analyses to help identify gaps and opportunities, culminating in a comprehensive report that includes a project plan with timelines and milestones, a robust cost analysis, and a realistic, defensible schedule.
Our Experience
Based on the vision and innovative direction of our CEO and founder,
J. Michael Barrett, Diligent continuously builds on its legacy of writing significant national security documents, including White House, DoD and DHS Strategies for Homeland Security, Supply Chain Security, Air Domain Awareness, Maritime Domain Awareness, and a variety of other classified strategies, documents, and ExOrds.
Senior management profiles
Mike Barrett,C.E.O.
Mike Barrett,C.E.O.
Mike Barrett,C.E.O.
Mike Barrett,
Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Mike Barrett has served in leadership roles in the White House National Security Council (Director of Strategy), the DoD Defense Laboratory Office for Research & Engineering (Senior Advisor to the Director), Office of the Secretary of Defense (Intelligence Officer), and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (Senior Analyst), where he helped develop everything from the Defense Laboratories Investment and Modernization Plan to the 2007 White House National Strategy for Homeland Security and the National Strategy for Global Supply Chain Security.
A former television commentator and news analyst, Mike has appeared more than fifty times on ABC Nightline, Bloomberg, CNN, Fox News, FRONTLINE, NBC, NPR, and other shows discussing foreign policy, Science & Technology, and military strategy. He has authored dozens of articles in Foreign Policy, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and The Washington Times, etc., and is the co-author of two books on security and counter-terrorism (including a New York Times Best Seller). He also founded two successful risk management and strategy consulting firms where he has managed projects and conducted briefings for senior military leaders, executives of major international financial institutions, and federal and state legislators, and has given lectures at National Defense University, Georgetown University, and Joint Special Operations University.
A former Fulbright Scholar, Mike received an M.A. in Strategic Studies and International Economics from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) in Washington, D.C., an M.B.A. from the Australian School of Business in Sydney, Australia, and graduated cum laude with a B.A. in International Relations from The University of Pennsylvania.
Chaz Maffey, C.O.O.
Mike Barrett,C.E.O.
Mike Barrett,C.E.O.
Charles “Chaz” Maffey
Chief Operations Officer, Defense Practice
Chaz Maffey is a senior national security and defense strategist with over 15 years of experience spanning military intelligence, federal consulting, and operational leadership. As Chief Operating Officer of the Diligent Innovations Defense Practice, Chaz leads high-impact teams supporting multi-million-dollar initiatives for the Department of Defense and related agencies. His work focuses on advancing defense science and technology planning, defense innovation, and interagency coordination.
Chaz began his career as a Naval Intelligence Officer, where he served with distinction on assignment to a Defense Intelligence Agency Special Mission Unit. He supported sensitive national-level operations requiring overseas deployments, advanced combat and survival training, and deep subject matter expertise in global security environments. His combined military and civilian experiences give him a rare ability to translate strategic vision into actionable policy and operational results.
Chaz holds an M.A. in International Security Studies from Georgetown University and a B.A. in International Relations from the University of Pennsylvania, where he graduated magna cum laude. Fluent in Farsi, Dari, and Spanish, he brings cultural fluency and global perspective to every engagement.
When he’s not leading complex national security efforts, he enjoys the outdoors, mountain biking, surfing, and scuba diving.
Our Partners & Clients
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