Chandra Donelson, the U.S. Space Force’s chief data and artificial intelligence (AI) officer (CDAO), announced she plans to step down from her role, according to a LinkedIn post made earlier today.
“Over the past two years, I’ve been surrounded by the finest service members and civilians across our Nation,” the post reads.
As CDAO, Donelson was responsible for a $4 billion-plus portfolio aimed at enhancing decision-making and capabilities for warfighters. She oversaw the Space Force’s development and execution of data and AI plans from fiscal years 2024 to 2026 and strengthened partnerships across the military services.
“Together, we have remained focused on what matters most: the warfighter. We have modernized legacy systems, advanced AI-enabled capabilities, and enhanced space domain awareness to enable decision advantage. That mission has never been more critical,” she wrote.
Donelson has served in several data and leadership roles within the military services including as deputy chief data officer for the Department of the Army from August 2021 to December 2023.
In addition to her public service career, she is a published children’s book author, having released The Data Detective at the Carnival in 2024 and The Data Detective at the Airport in 2025.
Donelson did not specify a departure date or provide details on her future plans.
The Space Force did not immediately respond to questions regarding Donelson’s replacement.