Captain Kenneth J. Barrett
Deputy Director, Diversity Management and Equal Opportunity

Captain Barrett is currently serving as the Under Secretary of Defense's Deputy Director, Office of Diversity Management and Equal Opportunity in Washington, DC.

He is a native of Worcester, Massachusetts and graduated from the College of the Holy Cross in 1984. Upon commissioning through the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC), he served on USS DENVER (LPD 9) in multiple engineering roles. In 1988, Captain Barrett served as a Tactical Action Officer on USS CARL VINSON (CVN 70). During his first shore assignment at Navy's Bureau of Personnel, Captain Barrett augmented NAVCENT staff, embarked USS BLUERIDGE (LCC 19), during Operation Desert Storm, serving with distinction as Flag/Battle Watch Officer and Port Loader. Other sea tours include Operations Officer on USS CUSHING (DD 985), Navigator on USS TARAWA (LHA 1), Executive Officer on USS MOUNT VERNON (LSD 39) and Operations Officer on USS BELLEAU WOOD (LHA 3) during the Global War on Terror.

Captain Barrett holds a Bachelors Degree in Political Science from Holy Cross, a Masters Degree in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island, and an Executive MBA from the Naval Postgraduate School. He is also a graduate of the Armed Forces Staff College. Upon completion of Joint Officer training, Captain Barrett was assigned as the Joint Chiefs of Staff representative and Naval Advisor to the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and U.S. Navy representative to the United Nation's Military Staff Committee at the U. S. Mission in New York.

In 2003, Captain Barrett was the Navy's Federal Executive Senior Fellow at Harvard University's Olin Institute for Strategic Studies. Upon completion, he reported to Navy Recruiting District San Diego, where in Command he led NRD San Diego to the #1 Recruiting District in the Nation for three consecutive years - 2004, 2005, and 2006.

Captain Barrett was appointed as the Navy's Diversity Director in 2006 achieving unprecedented results - from historic minority and women officer accessions to Transformational Life/Work Integration initiatives. Navy's Strategic Diversity Working Group was selected as the nation's #1 Diversity Council by the Association of Diversity Councils. Further, Navy was selected as the Top Federal Agency by DiversityInc. For his efforts as Lead of Navy's Task Force Life Work – he was recognized with the "Ted Childs' Work Life Excellence Award".

Other awards include the Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (two stars), Navy Commendation Medal (3 stars), and Navy Achievement Medal, as well as many other unit and campaign awards.