Governor Brown Appoints Clyde Saiki as Department of Human Services Director

(Salem, OR) — Governor Kate Brown today announced she has appointed Clyde Saiki as the Director of the Oregon Department of Human Services, effective upon confirmation by the Oregon Senate. Saiki is the State Chief Operating Officer and Director of the Department of Administrative Services, and has served as the interim DHS Director since November 2015.
 
"Clyde has been instrumental as the interim director in increasing accountability at the agency, particularly regarding the safety of young people in foster care, and coordinating an independent review of DHS programs to determine improvements needed to ensure youth are served and protected,” Governor Brown said. “His leadership has already made a difference at the agency, and he has my full support in continuing to make the changes we expect at DHS.”
 
Upon taking the interim Director position at DHS, Saiki immediately created a licensing and safety review process to oversee safety decisions related to licensed providers of children, youth, older adults, and people with disabilities. He also launched the independent review of the DHS child welfare system, with a focus on child safety in substitute care, and worked closely with the Legislature on passage of two child welfare reform bills in the 2016 legislative session.
 
Saiki previously served as Deputy Director at the Oregon Department of Transportation. Prior to ODOT, Saiki spent 23 years at the Department of Human Services where he held a number of leadership positions in human resources, facilities, contracts, and the agency's Volunteer Program. He also served as DHS' Chief Administrative Officer and spent his last four years at the agency as its Deputy Director of Operations. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Oregon State University.