USACE Vicksburg District announces new leadership appointments

VICKSBURG, Miss. (VDN) — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Vicksburg District announces new appointments to leadership positions within the Engineering and Construction Division.

These assignments include Mr. Colby Bankston as the new Deputy Chief of Engineering and Construction Division, Heather Clark as the Chief of the Construction Branch, and Heather Sibley as the Chief of the Geotechnical Branch.

“We’re proud to elevate these three outstanding leaders within the Vicksburg District. Each brings a depth of experience and a proven commitment to excellence that will strengthen our organization,” said Will Bradley, Chief of the Engineering and Construction Division. “I have full confidence in their ability to get the engineering right, make sound decisions, uphold high standards, and drive innovation where it matters most. Just as importantly, they understand the responsibility we carry to deliver quality projects on time and within budget for the communities we serve. Together, they will play a critical role in advancing our mission and setting a strong foundation for the future.”

Bankston comes to the Engineering and Construction Division from the USACE Levee Safety Center, where he served as the Civil Discipline Lead for the Arkabutla Dam Safety Modification Project. Prior to that assignment, he served as Chief of the Levee and Drainage Section in the Vicksburg District Design Branch, where he oversaw the design and preparation of plans and specifications for levee and flood risk management projects across multiple USACE districts.

He has been with USACE since 2010, when he began his career at the Vicksburg District in the Levee and Drainage Section. Over the course of his career, he has supported a wide range of civil works efforts, including levee safety, dam safety, and flood risk reduction projects.

Bankston is a graduate of Mississippi State University with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering and is a Licensed Professional Engineer in the state of Mississippi.

Sibley has been with the Vicksburg District since 2009, serving in multiple capacities within the Geotechnical Branch as a Project Engineer, Geotechnical Regional Technical Specialist for Mississippi Valley Division (MVD), Chief of the Analytical and Risk Section; and most recently, a Senior Geotechnical Subject Matter Expert (SME) working on the Arkabutla Dam Safety Modification Study.

She is also a registered Professional Engineer in the State of Mississippi. Sibley is a graduate of Mississippi State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering and Mathematics.

Clark has been a member of the Vicksburg District’s Construction Branch for approximately eight years where she served as the Assistant Chief of Construction leading a team of engineers who provide technical, contract administration, and quality management support on future and ongoing construction projects. Prior to this assignment, she was a civil engineer for four years in the Dam Safety and Investigation Section of the Geotechnical Branch of Engineering and Construction Division. Before coming to Vicksburg District, she served as project engineer for nearly five years for the Westbank Area Office New Orleans District where she administered construction contracts including levee, pump station, and floodwall construction as well as Mississippi River and harbors dredging.

Over her 16-year career, Clark has supported a wide range of civil works efforts both during construction and post-construction inspection. She is a graduate of Mississippi State University with both a Bachelor and a Master of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering and is a Licensed Professional Engineer in the State of Mississippi. 

The USACE Vicksburg District is engineering solutions to the nation’s toughest challenges. The Vicksburg District encompasses a 68,000-square-mile area across portions of Mississippi, Arkansas and Louisiana that holds nine major river basins and incorporates approximately 460 miles of mainline Mississippi River levees. The Vicksburg District is engaged in hundreds of projects and employs approximately 1,100 personnel.