Dr. Jacqueline El-Sayed
Chief Executive Officer, SAE International
Dr. Jacqueline El-Sayed is a builder and seasoned CEO with leadership experience across industry, education, and government. She comes to our group having served as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE). Prior to her promotion to CEO, she joined ASEE as Chief Academic Officer, driving growth and alignment across all professional services, leading new business innovation and strategic operational plans while building member community and value. Before this, she served as Chief Academic Officer & Vice President for Academic Affairs at Marygrove College. She is a professor emerita of mechanical engineering and served on the faculty at Kettering University for 18 years, eventually earning the position of Associate Provost & Associate Vice President. Dr. El-Sayed started her career as a truck engineer and has a track record of educating thousands of engineers while supervising over 150 industry-based projects and consulting in the mobility industry. She has served as PI or co-PI for multiple externally funded sponsored programs totaling $50+ MM and has been nationally recognized as an ACE Fellow, NLA Fellow, and ASEE Fellow & Hall of Famer.
Dr. El-Sayed is a four-time gubernatorial appointee to the State of Michigan Truck Safety Commission. As commissioner, she was nominated by the commanding officer of the Michigan State Police Motor Carrier Division and unanimously elected to serve as chair for two terms. Dr. El-Sayed also chaired the Driver's Education Advisory Committee and the Motorcycle Safety Advisory Committee for the Michigan Department of State—work that resulted in new bipartisan legislation for Michigan.
Inspired by her family’s entrepreneurial history, Dr. El-Sayed brings a lifetime passion for the mobility industry and community. In addition to being farmers and educators, her grandmother held her pilot’s license and taught at the family flight school and her grandfather taught her to drive huge combines and big rigs in the family agricultural tractor business. Dr. El-Sayed was selected to attend General Motors Institute (GMI), now Kettering University, starting her co-op work as a foreman in the manufacturing plants and, due to her CDL license, driving GM’s commercial display vehicle to shows and conferences. Her family’s respect for education led her to pursue graduate degrees in mechanical and aerospace engineering, before joining her alma mater as a professor. Her executive experience has been focused on non-profit management and strategy, across sectors, working closely with constituents, to drive organizations forward. She has served on the boards of multiple organizations in both nominated and elected positions.