Chandra Donelson, Chief Data & AI Officer for the United States Space Force (USSF), has been named CDO Magazine’s Global Executive of the Year 2025. The honor was presented during the Global Data Leadership Summit on October 7, recognizing Donelson as the #1 honoree of the Data Leaders 100 – The Leading Influencers in North America 2025.

A trailblazer in defense and beyond

Donelson’s leadership has redefined what’s possible with data and AI at the highest levels of U.S. national defense. She has led multiple enterprise-scale innovations that have modernized operations, strengthened oversight, and set new benchmarks for data integration and AI adoption across the Department of the Army, Department of the Air Force, and the U.S. Space Force.

Among her most recent transformative contributions:

• Enterprise GenAI Tool: Launched and scaled the Department of War’s first enterprise GenAI tool, now used by over 600,000 personnel.
• CLARA: Developed the Department’s first AI governance platform, advancing transparency and collaboration.
• DAIS-E: Established a secure and ethical AI environment to align innovation with mission outcomes.

Her impact has extended into space operations, where she has overseen the modernization of data and AI capabilities across a multi-billion-dollar portfolio, significantly improving the nation’s ability to defend assets to, from, and in space. 

• SPACEGPT: Launched and scaled the first multi-model GenAI technology for the USSF powered by Ask Sage.
• UDL: Advanced the Unified Data Library to accelerate mission-critical data integration, enhancing API development and deployment into high-value Space Operations systems.
• ATLAS: Oversaw the modernization of the Advanced Tracking and Launch Analysis System (ATLAS), the USSF’s next-generation Space Domain Awareness platform, modernizing legacy capabilities and enabling real-time threat detection in contested orbital environments.

She also published and executed the U.S. Space Force Data and AI Plan for FY2024 and FY2025, launched the annual USSF AI Challenge — the Department of War’s first GenAI competition — drawing over 400 participants. To drive knowledge sharing across the force, she led the development of Momentum, the U.S. Space Force’s quarterly publication dedicated to data, analytics, and AI collaboration.

Inspiring the next generation

Beyond her official role, Donelson is a passionate advocate for advancing data in AI education for K-12 students. As the author of the bestselling children’s books “The Data Detective at the Carnival” and “The Data Detective at the Airport,” with the first book now translated into five languages — she has held 29 events across five countries, teaching more than 8,000 children about data and artificial intelligence this year. She also established the Inspiration Library which has allowed her to donate over 900 educational resources to underserved schools and hospitals this year.

Leadership rooted in service and vision

Prior to her current role, Donelson served as the Acting Chief Data & AI Officer for the U.S. Department of the Air Force and as Deputy Chief Data Officer for the U.S. Department of the Army (G-2). She continues to serve as the Senior Enlisted Leader for Data, AI, and Innovation at Air Combat Command, driving cross-domain collaboration and innovation across the U.S. defense ecosystem.

“It’s an incredible honor to receive this recognition from CDO Magazine,” says Donelson. “This award represents the collective effort of so many dedicated professionals advancing data and AI in the service of our nation. I hope it also inspires the next generation of leaders to know they can make a difference too.”

Bill Gannon, Executive Vice President and General Manager of CDO Magazine, praised Donelson’s holistic impact: “Chandra Donelson embodies what it means to lead with purpose and imagination. Her achievements in the defense community and her commitment to inspiring future data leaders make her a truly transformative figure. We are proud to recognize her as our Global Executive of the Year 2025.”

Please join us in congratulating CDO Magazine’s 2025 Global Executive of the Year — Chandra Donelson!