Denise Thaller

Ms. Denise Thaller has served as the Deputy Assistant Administrator for NASA’s Office of Strategic Infrastructure since October 2021. In this role, Ms. Thaller will support the AA, focusing on NASA’s infrastructure challenges, working with missions and centers to ensure mission-critical assets are safe, ready, and reliable. She will also continue to focus on key administration priorities, such as climate change, environmental responsibilities and engagement with tribal nations. Under Ms. Thaller’s leadership, OSI will continue to transform by developing Enterprise OSI Strategic Workforce and Employee Engagement Plan.

Ms. Thaller was previously the Director of the Environmental Management Division (EMD) at NASA Headquarters in Washington DC.  NASA’s EMD provides leadership and guidance on environmental issues at NASA. As part of the Office of Strategic Infrastructure, EMD manages NASA programmatic and institutional requirements to advance environmental stewardship and sustainability. Additionally, EMD develops and disseminates policies for environmental planning, compliance, restoration, pollution prevention, energy and water conservation; as well as natural, cultural, and historic resource preservation. These policies enable compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) and other federal regulations and executive orders.

Prior to coming to NASA HQ, Ms. Thaller served as the Chief of the NASA Medical and Environmental Management Division at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC). The Division is responsible for managing the KSC occupational medicine, occupational health, remediation, environmental permitting and compliance, Environmental Management System (EMS), recycling, sustainable acquisition, energy management, natural resources, historic properties and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) programs. These responsibilities include coordination and integration of all programs in these areas and all formal contact with environmental regulatory agencies.

In 1996 Ms. Thaller transferred to the Environmental Branch as an Air Program Engineer, became the Lead of the Permitting and Compliance Group in 1999, 2008 became the Chief of the KSC Environmental Management Branch, and in 2012 became Chief of the Medical and Environmental Management Division. 

Education

Ms. Thaller received a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Texas and a Masters of Business Administration from Florida Institute of Technology (FIT). Ms. Thaller’s career started at KSC in 1988 in the Shuttle Mechanical Systems Division as a Pyrotechnic Systems Engineer and then later as a Launch Accessories System Engineer.