The Pallas Foundation Announces Dr. Radha Iyengar Plumb as First Distinguished Visiting Fellow

May 9th, 2025

Washington, D.C. — The Pallas Foundation is proud to welcome The Honorable Dr. Radha Iyengar Plumb as its first Distinguished Visiting Fellow, bringing her decades of experience at the highest levels of government, academia, and the private sector to mentor the next generation of national security leaders.

Dr. Plumb most recently served as the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer (CDAO) at the Department of Defense, where she led the Pentagon’s efforts to adopt cutting-edge AI, data, and analytics solutions. Her previous leadership roles include Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, Chief of Staff to the Deputy Secretary of Defense, and senior positions in the Obama Administration at the National Security Council and the Department of Energy.

In the private sector, Dr. Plumb held leadership positions at Google and Facebook, where she led research and policy initiatives to enhance digital trust, safety, and transparency. She has also served as a senior economist at RAND and as a faculty member at the London School of Economics.

As a Distinguished Visiting Fellow at the Pallas Foundation, Dr. Plumb will serve as a thought leader and mentor to the Foundation’s fellows, participate in high-level discussions on defense and innovation policy, and provide strategic guidance across programs. She will also headline a Leadership and Professional Development (LPD) event as part of the Foundation’s signature fellowship program.

“The Pallas Foundation was built to connect rising leaders with today’s trailblazers,” said Sally Donnelly, Founding Director at Pallas Foundation. “Welcoming Radha as our first Distinguished Visiting Fellow is exactly what that looks like.”

“I am excited to partner with the Foundation on critical efforts to invest in the next generation of national security leaders as they forge bold and innovative paths forward,” said Dr. Radha Plumb

The Pallas Foundation’s Distinguished Visiting Fellows program brings top national security leaders into direct engagement with fellows and program partners to foster a more innovative, inclusive, and strategically aligned defense ecosystem.