About Us

Michael D. Griffes

Director
703-515-7514
mgriffes@forerunnerfoundation.org

Top federal and state government decision-makers have relied on Mike Griffes for policy advice and hands-on management of sensitive homeland security, public safety and law enforcement efforts.

A former U.S. Naval aviator, Mike served as Special Assistant to the Secretary of the Navy (2006-09). As the top civilian executive in the Department of the Navy, Mike had oversight of Intelligence and special programs and led the standup of the SecNav as the Defense Department’s Executive Agent for Maritime Domain Awareness.

Previous Pentagon assignments included organization of Joint Staff participation in the Homeland Security Council, implementation the Presidential Maritime Security Directive and representation of the Joint Staff at interagency policy meetings on air defense, border and port security, transportation security, critical infrastructure protection, chemical-biological and nuclear threats, and military support to law enforcement. In 2005, he co-authored a top-level review of nuclear and radiological threat interdiction and response plans.

Mike’s experience as a Navy Captain with special operations, combat, and squadron command experience also proved useful at the state level. He was a cabinet-level administrator of a multi-mission state agency with jurisdiction over revenue collection, emergency management, public safety and law enforcement.