(US and Canada) The U.S. Department of the Air Force has appointed Susan Davenport as its new Chief Data and Artificial Intelligence Officer (CDAO). Davenport will succeed Chandra Donelson, who has served as the acting CDAO since April while continuing in her role as the Space Force’s data and AI officer.

Previously, Eileen Vidrine held the CDAO position from January 2023 until her retirement in March 2024.

“We are thrilled to welcome Susan Davenport as the new Department of the Air Force Chief Data and AI Officer (CDAO)! Davenport has over 30 years of experience in intelligence, cyber, space, and advanced technology across the DAF, DoD, & Intelligence Community (IC). Her expertise driving innovation and managing complex programs will be instrumental in shaping the future of Data and AI for the Air Force and the Space Force,” the Department of the Air Force’s Chief Information Office wrote in a LinkedIn post.

Most recently, Davenport was Senior Advisor for Defense Innovation at the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force. Prior to this role, she was Deputy Chief Engineer for the National Reconnaissance Office, where she also led its research ground group and customer group. Earlier in her career, she held the position of Director of the Data Services Division within the U.S. Air Force.