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Neela Rajendra, NASA’s Chief of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, has been dismissed following opposition to DEI initiatives by Trump and Musk. NASA dissolved its diversity division in March
To preserve her job after Donald Trump’s executive order, NASA rebranded Neela Rajendra’s position to ‘Head of Office of Team Excellence and Employee Success.’ (News18 Hindi)
Neela Rajendra, Chief of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) at NASA, has been dismissed from her role. Rajendra, an American citizen of Indian origin, faced termination amidst opposition to DEI initiatives by US President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk.
DEI initiatives aim to ensure equal opportunities for individuals from diverse backgrounds within workplaces or organisations. However, Trump and Musk argue that these initiatives promote unfair practices.
NASA dissolved its diversity division in March following an executive order from Trump that banned DEI programs in all government agencies. Back in 2024, around 900 DEI employees at NASA were laid off, but Rajendra managed to retain her position at that time.
As a DEI officer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), she worked on boosting workforce diversity, supporting initiatives like ‘Space Workforce 2030’ that focused on recruiting women and minorities. In 2022, she noted that tight deadlines were hindering inclusion goals.
To preserve her job after Trump’s executive order, NASA rebranded her position to ‘Head of Office of Team Excellence and Employee Success.’ Despite the title change, her responsibilities remained largely the same, including overseeing groups such as the ‘Black Excellence Strategic Team’ at JPL.
Rajendra updated her LinkedIn profile to reflect her new title. However, recent reports of her continued presence led to her removal. An internal email confirmed that Neela Rajendra no longer works at the lab.
Rajendra holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and music from the University of North Carolina and completed an MBA from Wake Forest University School of Business in 2008. After her studies, she held various brief roles in different organisations, though detailed information about these positions is not publicly available. She joined NASA as Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer in 2021.
- Location :
Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)
