Chandra Donelson announced she will step down from her role as chief data and artificial intelligence officer at the U.S. Space Force after about two years overseeing data and AI initiatives for the service.
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In a LinkedIn post published Friday, Donelson reflected on her selection for the role and her tenure supporting Space Force missions.
“To the CDAO community, I am confident you will continue to answer our Nation’s call and remain relentlessly obsessed with the warfighter,” she noted in her post. “Thank you for the opportunity of a lifetime.”
What Did Donelson Say About Space Force AI & Tech Efforts?
In her post, Donelson said her team has remained focused on supporting the warfighter, modernizing legacy systems, advancing AI-enabled capabilities and enhancing space domain awareness to enable decision advantage, adding that the mission remains critical.
Who Is Chandra Donelson?
Chandra Donelson is a data and AI leader who has contributed to initiatives across the defense sector.
In addition to her role as USSF CDAO, she also serves as director of data AI and software at the Space Force.
In 2024, she was named acting CDAO at the Department of the Air Force. In this capacity, she oversaw the development and implementation of departmentwide strategies for ethical and responsible AI, enterprise data management, digital transformation and analytics to drive innovation in support of DAF’s missions and operations.
She previously served as deputy chief data officer and open source intelligence data manager within the Department of the Army and data and analytics officer within U.S. Central Command. Earlier in her career, she served as an analyst at Air Combat Command, according to her LinkedIn profile.
