Abstract image depicting innovation and forward progress

About Quality Solutions & Innovations

Quality Solutions & Innovations is a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business consulting firm founded on one principle: real, sustainable improvement through quality expertise, hands-on solutions, transformative innovations, and an unwavering focus on people.

With over 50 years of combined Lean Six Sigma experience at the Master Black Belt level, our team has trained thousands, certified hundreds, and generated hundreds of millions in documented savings and efficiency gains across healthcare, federal agencies, and private enterprise.

Our Vision

A world where every organization we touch operates at the highest level of excellence — where continuous improvement is not a program, but a way of life.

Core Values

What Sets Quality Solutions & Innovations Apart

Elite credentials with a personal touch — the expertise of the world’s top-tier agencies, delivered by consultants who roll up their sleeves and work beside you
Predominantly on-site delivery — because understanding your culture, challenges, and people can only truly be achieved by being present
Full-spectrum Lean Six Sigma that never sacrifices the human element
Proven success in the most complex, highly regulated environments

Leadership Team

Daren Cortez – Owner & Principal Consultant, LSS MBB

Daren Cortez is a Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt and disabled veteran with over 25 years of leadership in large-scale transformation across healthcare, federal agencies, and private industry. A former U.S. Army Infantry Sergeant turned executive change agent, he has trained and certified thousands of Lean Six Sigma practitioners, delivered more than $100 million in documented cost savings and efficiency gains, and served as a trusted senior advisor to national healthcare networks.

Founder of Quality Solutions & Innovations, Daren holds a Master Black Belt certification from Circle 6, a B.B.A. in Management Leadership from UTSA, a Project Management certificate from George Washington University, and is currently pursuing dual graduate degrees in Business Administration. Blending military discipline with a passion for strategic planning, performance improvement, and high-reliability organizations, Daren continues to empower organizations and veteran-owned businesses through proven process excellence.

Denise Brady Elliott – Senior Consultant, LSS MBB, FACHE

Denise Brady Elliott is a board-certified healthcare executive (FACHE) and Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt with an exceptional track record in quality, patient safety, and large-scale process improvement. Holding a B.S. in Psychology and M.A. in Neuroscience from Baylor University, she previously served as Chief Quality Officer for a major healthcare network, where she led enterprise-wide programs in Quality Management, High Reliability Organization (HRO) principles, Systems Redesign & Improvement, and Lean Six Sigma deployment. Denise has personally trained over 5,000 professionals, taught more than 150 Lean Six Sigma courses, and driven initiatives that generated over $100 million in savings while strengthening compliance, risk management, and accreditation outcomes. Renowned for aligning strategic vision with sustainable cultural change, Denise brings deep expertise in redesigning workflows, fostering transparency and trust, and delivering measurable improvements in both clinical and operational performance.

Kari Renee Bogusch, Senior Consultant, LSS MBB

Kari Renee Bogusch is a Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt with over 20 years of experience in healthcare operations, administration, and process improvement initiatives that have increased quality and cost savings for multiple complex healthcare organizations. Blending a clinical science foundation with expertise in Lean Six Sigma, change management, data analysis, and project leadership, Kari is a proven leader showing results.

Kari holds a Master of Healthcare Administration and B.S. in Medical Technology from Texas Woman’s University, a Graduate Certificate in Applied Statistics from Texas A&M University, and certifications in Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt, Project Management, Prosci Change Management, and ASCP. Recognized with awards for outstanding instruction, innovation, and service excellence, she brings a collaborative, hands-on style that bridges executive strategy with frontline execution to build lasting cultures of continuous improvement.

Nathan Sprague, Senior Consultant

Nathan, founder of Circle 6 Consulting, brings extensive experience from senior roles at the George Group and Accenture, where he specializes in Lean Six Sigma deployments, business transformations, growth strategy, operating model redesign, culture change, portfolio optimization, and operational excellence. He has led large-scale continuous improvement and operations transformation programs for Fortune 500 companies, private equity firms, and public sector clients—including the U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Navy, U.S. Army, and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

We don’t just consult. We transform — together.