WASHINGTON, D.C. – Earlier this month, President Biden named former SALDEF Executive Director Jasjit Singh as Executive Director of SelectUSA. SelectUSA is a U.S. government-wide initiative that works to attract and retain foreign direct investment in the United States. In this role, he will lead the strategy and implementation of SelectUSA’s mission to create jobs, spur economic growth, and promote American competitiveness.
Representative Judy Chu, Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), released the following statement supporting Jasjit Singh’s appointment:
“I’m thrilled to congratulate Jasjit Singh on his appointment as Executive Director of SelectUSA. With his years of experience with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s U.S.-India Business Council to working with Jasjit when he was Executive Director of the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF), he is perfectly suited to lead SelectUSA in their mission to promote American competitiveness and bolster economic growth . I’m proud to see such an excellent AAPI leader in this role and am grateful to President Biden for his ongoing commitment to appointing qualified individuals who reflect the true diversity of our country.”
Since its inception, SelectUSA has assisted thousands of clients, including U.S. economic development organizations, domestic firms, and international companies, facilitating more than $105 billion in client-verified investment, supporting more than 138,000 jobs across the United States.
Before joining SelectUSA, Jasjit was a Senior Director at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s U.S.-India Business Council, where he led Manufacturing and Supply Chain Logistics committees as well as Capitol Hill and States Engagement for the organization. He had previous roles as a Senior Policy Advisor in the Obama Administration, former Executive Director of SALDEF, and senior consultant at Deloitte. Jasjit Singh, in the following statement, credits his work at SALDEF for building his foundation of service.
“The decades of impactful work and reputation SALDEF had built was why I was initially selected to join President Obama’s Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships Advisory council in 2015. That was my first experience with government service, and it led directly to my new role, where I am proud to represent our community and country abroad. I am grateful to SALDEF for giving me the foundational skills to lead a mission-driven organization as well as the Sikh American community for their support throughout the years.”
During Jasjit’s tenure as Executive Director, SALDEF inaugurated the SikhLEAD program to develop the next generation of Sikh American leaders, created the first Sikh-American public service announcement with Comcast, and published the first national survey of the public perception of Sikh Americans and their articles of faith, Turban Myths.
We at SALDEF congratulate our former Executive Director on his new role and wish him all the best as he embarks on his new journey.