A top diversity official at Nasa has reportedly been dismissed, despite the agency’s apparent attempt to shield her from President Trump’s executive order ending federal diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs.
Neela Rajendra , who previously served as the Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer at Nasa’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), was recently let go from her updated position as head of the “Office of Team Excellence and Employee Success,” according to a report by the Washington Free Beacon.
“Neela Rajendra is no longer working at [Jet Propulsion Laboratory]. We are incredibly grateful for the lasting impact she made to our organization. We wish her the very best,” JPL Director Laurie Leshin announced in a staff-wide email obtained by the outlet, according to the New York Post.
Rajendra’s termination follows a report by the Free Beacon that highlighted how she had managed to retain her role amid widespread DEI cuts in 2024, when nearly 900 DEI-related positions across the agency were eliminated.
Following President Trump’s directive that executive branch departments dismantle DEI programs, Nasa formally closed its diversity office in March. Yet, the agency reportedly created a new role for Rajendra under a different title while allowing her to retain much of the same scope of work.
On March 10, an internal memo revealed Rajendra would head a newly created unit—the “Office of Team Excellence and Employee Success.” According to the report, this office oversaw employee affinity groups, including the “Black Excellence Strategic Team.”
In her LinkedIn profile, Rajendra described her role in the new office as one aimed at “unlocking our potential to Dare Mighty Things TOGETHER.”
At the time of the office’s launch, Leshin told staff the change was “essential for [JPL’s] future success” and a good fit for Rajendra’s expertise and recent focus.
Rajendra had previously been a key proponent of Nasa’s diversity initiatives , including her involvement in the “Space Workforce 2030” pledge, a campaign geared toward increasing representation of women and minorities in the aerospace field.
In a 2022 presentation, she argued that “extreme deadlines” posed challenges to achieving inclusion goals, according to the Beacon.
Neela Rajendra , who previously served as the Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer at Nasa’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), was recently let go from her updated position as head of the “Office of Team Excellence and Employee Success,” according to a report by the Washington Free Beacon.
“Neela Rajendra is no longer working at [Jet Propulsion Laboratory]. We are incredibly grateful for the lasting impact she made to our organization. We wish her the very best,” JPL Director Laurie Leshin announced in a staff-wide email obtained by the outlet, according to the New York Post.
Rajendra’s termination follows a report by the Free Beacon that highlighted how she had managed to retain her role amid widespread DEI cuts in 2024, when nearly 900 DEI-related positions across the agency were eliminated.
Following President Trump’s directive that executive branch departments dismantle DEI programs, Nasa formally closed its diversity office in March. Yet, the agency reportedly created a new role for Rajendra under a different title while allowing her to retain much of the same scope of work.
On March 10, an internal memo revealed Rajendra would head a newly created unit—the “Office of Team Excellence and Employee Success.” According to the report, this office oversaw employee affinity groups, including the “Black Excellence Strategic Team.”
In her LinkedIn profile, Rajendra described her role in the new office as one aimed at “unlocking our potential to Dare Mighty Things TOGETHER.”
At the time of the office’s launch, Leshin told staff the change was “essential for [JPL’s] future success” and a good fit for Rajendra’s expertise and recent focus.
Rajendra had previously been a key proponent of Nasa’s diversity initiatives , including her involvement in the “Space Workforce 2030” pledge, a campaign geared toward increasing representation of women and minorities in the aerospace field.
In a 2022 presentation, she argued that “extreme deadlines” posed challenges to achieving inclusion goals, according to the Beacon.
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