Andre H. Sayles, Ph.D. - Acting Director and Principal Deputy Director of the Office of Economic Impact and Diversity
Andre H. Sayles, Ph.D., is the Acting Director of the Office of Economic Impact and Diversity.
Dr. Sayles joined the Department of Energy as the Principal Deputy Director of the Office of Economic Impact and Diversity in September 2013. Prior to the current assignment, Dr. Sayles was the Director of Diversity Strategy and Implementation for the U.S. Army, where he was responsible for developing and leading implementation of strategic plans for sustaining the Army as a national leader in diversity through inclusive policies and practices, and supporting the Army’s 1.3 million Soldiers and Army Civilians who serve our country.
In 2007, Dr. Sayles supported the Army Family Covenant as a Booz Allen Hamilton program manager and then transitioned to the Army Diversity Task Force, which was responsible for a global assessment of diversity programs and progress. Following the 12-month assessment by the Task Force, Dr. Sayles led the development of an Army-wide strategy for diversity and inclusion, which became the Army Diversity Roadmap published in December 2010.
Dr. Sayles began his career with the Army in 1973 as a second lieutenant in the Army Corps of Engineers after graduating from West Point with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering. He holds a Master of Science degree and the Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology. He also holds a Master of Science in General Management from the Salve Regina University and a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies from the U.S. Naval War College. His military education includes completion of the Naval College of Command and Staff and the Army War College.
At the U.S. Military Academy, Dr. Sayles served eight years as Professor and Head of the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, where he was responsible for academic programs supporting three disciplines, along with the West Point Information Technology and Operations Center, the Photonics Research Center, and the Network Science Center. Dr. Sayles completed a variety of field assignments throughout his 34 years of military service, including commanding in Germany and duty at Fort Drum, New York, and Fort Belvoir, Virginia. He retired as a brigadier general in September 2007.
For over 25 years, Dr. Sayles has supported diversity initiatives at West Point and throughout the Army. He leads the Diversity and Inclusion Committee of the West Point Association of Graduates and has been a driving force behind the highly successful Annual West Point Diversity Leadership Conference, which first took place in 1996. He is a recipient of the NAACP Roy Wilkins Service Award for his contributions to diversity and inclusion.