Director

Chief People and Cultural Officer, The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

Before joining the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) as its first chief people officer (CPO) in early 2023, Dwayne Norris spent three decades at the American Institutes for Research (AIR), a nonprofit organization that conducts behavioral and social science research and delivers technical assistance to help solve some of the most urgent challenges in the United States and around the world—particularly those rooted in injustice.

At AIR, Dwayne held many roles, rising from an independent contributor and applied researcher to the level of executive vice president. In 2013, Dwayne established and led AIR’s then-new Workforce and Lifelong Learning program, where he was responsible for a staff of approximately 75 and a $24+ million portfolio comprised of practice areas in adult literacy, learning and development, human capital management, disability and rehabilitation, and workforce development. In 2018, Dwayne transitioned from his externally facing, programmatic leadership roles to become the chief people officer, in addition to leading the facilities, global safety and security, and legal functions.

Dwayne continues to be an industry-leading voice on organizational strategy, operational efficiency, leadership development, and human resources, with specialized expertise in talent management, organizational development, assessment and measurement, workforce development, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). He has been fortunate to work on a broad range of workplace performance issues for a wide variety of jobs and clients, including the Department of State, the Federal Aviation Administration, the Department of Education, the American Association of Medical Colleges, Detroit Edison, and the Department of Labor. He currently serves on the Board of Examiners for the Foreign Service, overseeing the recruitment and selection program for foreign service officers, and is an active member of Leadership Greater Washington.

When not working to build a forward-thinking, proactive, and analytic-savvy HR department at AAAS, Dwayne enjoys following just about anything with a ball and teams (but especially football), reading science-related literature, and spending time with family, friends, and his dog.

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