Overview

• Neela Rajendra, NASA's former Chief of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, was officially dismissed from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in adherence to a Trump administration executive order targeting DEI programs.
• NASA had rebranded Rajendra’s role as 'Head of Office of Team Excellence and Employee Success,' but her responsibilities remained largely tied to diversity initiatives, prompting her eventual termination.
• The dismissal follows NASA’s broader dismantling of its central diversity office in March 2025 and the elimination of nearly 900 DEI positions in 2024 due to budget cuts and policy changes.
• Rajendra had been instrumental in leading initiatives like the 'Space Workforce 2030' pledge, which aimed to increase representation of women and minorities within NASA's workforce.
• Her termination reflects a broader ideological shift within federal agencies under the Trump administration, which has prioritized ending DEI-related programs across government institutions.