LEADERSHIP
Mr. James R. Mismash
Deputy Assistant Secretary of War for Industrial Base Growth
Director of Small Business Programs
Mr. James R. Mismash serves as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of War for Industrial Base Growth and Director of Small Business Programs (OSBP). In this role, he advises the Secretary of War, the Under Secretary of War for Acquisition and Sustainment, and the Assistant Secretary of War for Industrial Base Policy on matters affecting new entrants and small businesses across the defense industrial base. He leads efforts to strengthen the role of small and nontraditional companies in meeting warfighting needs, advancing critical technologies, and building a resilient and competitive industrial base.
Mr. Mismash previously served as Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary of War for Industrial Base Policy, a position he held since May 2025. In this role, he served as a principal advisor on defense industrial base matters, guiding enterprise-wide efforts and assisting in managing sensitive issues and special projects.
Mr. Mismash brings extensive experience in defense policy, acquisition reform, and industrial base development. He has shaped strategy and policy across the national security enterprise, integrating budget analysis, legislative insight, and acquisition planning to accelerate capability delivery. His work has supported key reforms that expand competition, modernize procurement tools, and energize critical technology sectors vital to America’s defense advantage.
He has been a driving force behind initiatives that expand opportunities for small and nontraditional firms, ensuring that acquisition and industrial base policies enable innovation, speed, and operational relevance. Mr. Mismash’s experience includes leading acquisition policy and contracting initiatives that accelerated the fielding of next-generation space capabilities and shaping policy priorities related to acquisition, innovation, and industrial base competitiveness in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Mr. Mismash is a graduate of The University of Texas, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in government and history with a focus on World War II and defense policy. He serves on the boards of the Texas State Society of Washington, D.C. and the Live Like Johnny Foundation.
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Ms. Kasey Diaz
Deputy Director
Ms. Diaz serves as Deputy Director of the Office of Industrial Base Growth and Director of Programs and Operations where she oversees the DoW Mentor-Protégé Program, Indian Incentive Program, Policy & Workforce Development, Subcontracting, Forecasting, Small Business Integration Group (SBIG), Business Operations, and Performance Management.
Beginning her tenure in 1997, Ms. Diaz began as a federal contractor in the Office of Small Business Programs, working tirelessly in support of the DoW Mentor-Protégé Program. She provided invaluable program management support to the federal government. Quickly, upon her transition into the federal workspace, Ms. Diaz was instrumental in constructing the Small Business Programs Workforce Development Training, currently offered through the Warfighting Acquisition University (previously known as DAU). Ms. Diaz’s experience spans nearly 30 years of federal service in technical, programmatic, administrative and management assistance supporting DoW as a subject-matter expert on small business and acquisition policies, procedures, and related matters.
Ms. Diaz trusts that the recent codification of the DoW Mentor-Protégé Program (MPP) in 2023, after a thirty-year pilot, is more than a source of pride, joy, and accomplishment for her professionally. In consideration of its long history and the overall impact on the small business community, she is honored to know that her advocacy and commitment to the program will live-on.
Ms. Diaz holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, among numerous acknowledgments and commendations.
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Mr. Khalil Mack
Deputy Director
Mr. Mack currently serves as Deputy Director of the Office of Industrial Base Growth and Director of Defense Marketplace Readiness where he oversees the APEX Accelerators program, Cybersecurity & Supply Chain Readiness, Rapid Integrated Scalable Enterprise (RISE), Marketplace Tools, and Industry Engagement.
With 90+ offices across 49 states and territories, APEX Accelerators provide a critical front door for business and industry to help to expand suppliers to the federal, state, and local government marketplaces and provide opportunities for companies new to government contracting to acquire the skills and know-how to compete.
The work Accelerators do with businesses, in concert with their partners, strengthens the defense industrial base by accelerating innovation, fostering ingenuity, and establishing resilient and diverse supply chains. The result is the creation of a domestic industrial base that can deliver preeminent solutions to the military and other government users.
Mr. Mack previously held the position of Associate Director of Policy, where he was the principal advisor to the Office of Small Business Programs Director on small business industrial base related policy, regulation, and legislation. His experience also includes serving as Branch Chief for the Rapid Prototyping Acquisition Branch at the Washington Headquarters Services Acquisition Directorate, where he planned and executed non-FAR based acquisitions, including Other Transactions (OTs), and in various contracting roles for the Army Intelligence and Security Command (INSCOM).
Prior to becoming a federal civilian, Mr. Mack was a consultant, specializing in acquisition and finance, for several federal agencies including the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Mr. Mack earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Hampton University, and a Master of Business Administration from the George Washington University. He is also a graduate of the Procurement and Contracts Management Certificate program at the University of Virginia.
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Mr. Anup Rao
Chief of Staff
Mr. Rao currently serves as the Chief of Staff for the Department of War (DoW) Office of Industrial Base Growth (IBG). In this capacity, he manages day-to-day operations, advises the Deputy Assistant Secretary of War for Industrial Base Growth, and drives strategic alignment and execution of IBG and DoW DIB priorities across the organization. He is a distinguished public policy and national security professional with extensive experience in legislative affairs, strategic planning, and industrial base policy within the U.S. government.
Prior to his current role, Mr. Rao served as Congressional Affairs Coordinator for the Office of the Assistant Secretary of War for Industrial Base Policy, where he managed the legislative operations of a new office with five directorates across small business, industrial base sectoral analyses, Defense Production Act programs, international cooperation programs, economic security and investment programs, and microelectronics investments. In this role, he was the primary liaison for legislative matters, successfully navigating complex issues through his deep knowledge of Capitol Hill and the legislative process.
Before the DoW, Mr. Rao worked as a Policy Analyst at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and served on Capitol Hill for the late U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), where he advised the Senator and advanced her priorities on foreign policy, defense, homeland security, international trade, and veterans’ issues.
Mr. Rao holds a Master of Arts in Diplomacy and International Relations from Seton Hall University and a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Dr. Jacqueline Charles
Associate Director
Dr. Charles currently serves as the principal advisor to the Director and Deputy Director, focusing on critical areas such as small business industrial base policy, regulation, legislation, and workforce development. With nearly 30 years of federal service dedicated to DoW acquisition, sustainment, and small business advocacy, Dr. Charles has spearheaded significant initiatives to advance equity within the federal government, shape policies, and lead congressional affairs.
Prior to joining the Office of Industrial Base Growth, Dr. Charles served as a Deputy Assistant Program Manager of Logistics for both the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division in Lakehurst, New Jersey, and Patuxent River, Maryland. She later served as an Assistant Program Manager of Logistics for the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Weapons Program Division before transitioning to a Strategic Planning Lead role for the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter program. Her leadership acumen led to her selection as the Product Support Manager for the Combat Data Systems Program Office, where she oversaw a multi-million budget and managed sustainment support for critical information technology systems, mission-planning software, and joint reprogramming laboratories. Throughout her career, Dr. Charles has consistently prioritized affordability and sustainability, leading cost-cutting initiatives to optimize life cycle costs for weapon system programs.
Dr. Charles earned a MBA in Global Operations and Supply Chain Management and a PhD in Education with a specialization in leadership for higher education from Capella University.
Ms. Carla Johnson
Associate Director
As the Associate Director for the Indian Incentive Program, a congressionally sponsored program that provides a 5 percent rebate to a prime contractor on the total amount subcontracted to a Native American owned Economic Enterprise or Native American Organization in accordance with DFARS Clause 252.226-7001.
Previously, Ms. Johnson managed the Subcontracting portfolio, directly supporting the Office of Industrial Base Growth's mission by striving to fulfill present fiscal year goals in prime contracting and subcontracting, as well as tracking DoW's performance history.
Previously, Ms. Johnson worked in CFIUS as a member of the International Outreach and Strategic Engagement Team. She has also held positions in OUSD/Acquisition and Sustainment as the Contracts Lead, Project Manager for Business Systems, and Resource Manager for the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Command, Control, and Communication (C3), Cyber, and Business Systems.
Ms. Johnson has also served in a number of leadership positions in the DoW, in support of project management, contracting, budgeting and financial management, as well as private industry where she served as Budget Director for Radio Free Asia (RFA) and Senior Program Analyst with Northrop Grumman.
Ms. Reem Kodsi
Associate Director
Ms. Reem Kodsi, serves as the Associate Director for Industry & Engagement at the Office of Industrial Base Growth, where she leads initiatives to strengthen engagement with industry partners across the defense ecosystem.
Prior to becoming a federal civilian, Ms. Kodsi had a distinguished career supporting complex interagency programs across open-source intelligence analysis, cybersecurity protocol development, comprehensive business and financial stewardship, international advisory roles, and multi-faceted strategic communications.
She has provided leadership and expertise on major initiatives for multiple U.S. government agencies, including the Department of War, Department of State, Army Human Resources Command, U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command, General Services Administration (GSA), and the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization (JIEDDO).
Ms. Kodsi earned dual master's degrees with high honors from American University: a Master of Business Administration with a specialization in International Business Management, and a Master of Arts in International Communications. She completed her undergraduate studies at George Mason University, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Communications.