Speakers

Ms. Chandra Donelson is the Chief Data and Artificial Intelligence Officer (CDAO) and Director of Data, Artificial Intelligence, and Software for the United States Space Force, where she leads strategy and implementation efforts to harness data, digital technologies, and AI to enhance decision-making, operational performance, and innovation across the service. 

Previously, Ms. Donelson served as the Army Intelligence Community Deputy Chief Data Officer, where she led the development of the Army IC Data Strategy and the Army Data Literacy Program, and helped drive modernization efforts in OSINT data management and multi-domain intelligence sharing. From 2017 to 2021, she served as the Army OSINT Data Manager, establishing new standards for reporting, dissemination, and foreign partner data integration.

A U.S. Air Force veteran and current Air Force Reservist supporting CENTCOM J-2, Ms. Donelson began her career as an Intelligence Operations Specialist supporting A-10 and C-130 missions. She is also a former entrepreneur, having founded a bridal store in Texas.

Ms. Donelson holds degrees in Business Administration, Management, Information Technology, and Data Science and Analytics from the University of Arkansas, Texas A&M University–Texarkana, and the University of Missouri. She is a native of Arkansas and lives in the National Capital Region with her son.