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3w ago

Dave Gallagher Named New JPL Director as Laurie Leshin Announces Departure

Laurie Leshin will step down on June 1, 2025, citing personal reasons, with veteran JPL leader Dave Gallagher taking over leadership of the NASA-managed lab.

Laurie Leshin, Director of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
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Laurie Leshin headshot

Overview

  • Laurie Leshin, JPL director since 2022, will leave her position on June 1, transitioning to a professorship at Caltech.
  • Dave Gallagher, a 36-year veteran of JPL and current associate director for Strategic Integration, has been selected as her successor by Caltech.
  • Leshin’s tenure included significant mission achievements, such as the launches of Psyche, Europa Clipper, and the upcoming NISAR satellite, as well as advancements in Mars exploration and asteroid detection technologies.
  • JPL faced major challenges under Leshin, including workforce reductions in 2024 due to budget constraints, the Eaton Fire evacuation in early 2025, and institutional reforms following the Psyche mission review.
  • Gallagher, known for his extensive technical and leadership experience, aims to guide JPL through ongoing budgetary pressures and sustain its role in advancing NASA’s space exploration goals.