Making Cloudera an AI-first company starts by applying the same enterprise AI principles internally that the company delivers to customers around the world. That mission sits at the center of Donna Beasley's role as Cloudera's first-ever Chief AI Enablement Officer.
My job is to make Cloudera an AI-first company from the inside out. Not in a slogan way, but in a 'what are people actually using on Monday morning' way."
It's a role that blends technology, strategy, governance, and change management. As Chief AI Enablement Officer, Donna helps employees across the company use AI effectively while balancing innovation with responsible use. She also leads Cloudera's AI Steering Committee, which guides investment and adoption decisions. Since its start in 2024, the committee has reviewed 145 AI tools, with 64% receiving a path to approval.
Behind all of it is one critical piece of the job.
"Most of the role is translation," Donna explains. "Engineering speaks one language, executives speak another, security and legal speak a third. The interesting work happens when you can get all three in a room and turn a good theory into something people can actually use."
Let's get to know Donna and learn how she's helping teams across Cloudera turn AI's potential into everyday impact.
Building Credibility Through Action
Being the first person in a new role meant there was no roadmap to follow. For Donna, that meant focusing on execution before strategy.
"I spent my first couple of months teaching people how to use the AI tools that had already been approved, not presenting strategy decks," she says. "When people can see something running, the conversation shifts from 'What should we do about AI?' to 'Here's what I'd change about this thing that already exists.'"
That hands-on approach is rooted in a career that spans sales engineering, product management, support, professional services, operations, customer success, and marketing. Those experiences taught Donna that every team experiences technology and change differently.
"Seeing the same company from that many angles is a privilege most leaders don't get," she says. "Every team is convinced they're the one carrying the company, and they're each usually a little bit right."
Today, that mentality continues to shape her leadership style: "The distance between a leader and the actual work is where bad decisions hide."
That same belief in staying connected to people and understanding their experiences extends beyond her work in AI enablement. It carries into one of the roles she finds most meaningful at Cloudera.
Creating Community Through ERGs
As executive sponsor of Cloudera's LGBTQ+ Employee Resource Group, Donna has seen firsthand how ERGs help strengthen both company culture and employee growth.
"ERGs are one of the few places where culture actually gets practiced, not declared."
She views them as spaces where employees build community and find mentorship that can shape the trajectory of their careers. As someone in the LGBTQ+ community, she understands how powerful it can be to work in an environment that welcomes authenticity.
"That's how careers get unstuck. That's how the next generation of leadership at this company gets built."
The ability to be open about who you are at work is something many people still cannot take for granted. Through her work with the LGBTQ+ ERG, Donna helps create space for employees to connect and bring a wide range of perspectives into the business.
Just as importantly, Donna sees the role as an opportunity to ensure the company's actions continue to align with its values as the organization grows. For her, creating opportunities for employees to feel represented and empowered is one of the most meaningful aspects of leadership.
Life Beyond Work
A few years ago, Donna faced a life-changing cancer diagnosis and recovery journey. The experience gave her a renewed perspective on how she wants to invest her time and energy.
Today, she and her wife call rural Maine home, where life moves at a different pace. Weekends are often spent on the water before sunrise, surrounded by the natural beauty that drew them there in the first place. From wildlife and astrophotography to FPV drone flying, Donna finds joy in activities that encourage patience and perspective.
"The work is intense and I love it," she says. "But the reason I can show up and do it well, year after year, is that I've built a life around it that is the opposite of the work: quiet, slow, full of things that don't get faster no matter how much you push them."
Closing Thoughts
When reflecting on what makes Cloudera unique, Donna points to a culture that values substance and authenticity.
"Cloudera attracts people who are wired the same way: they take the work seriously and themselves a little less so. There's a respect for technical depth here I haven't always found at other places. And a real impatience with anything that smells like theater instead of substance."
Her perspective captures the spirit of Cloudera: a place where talented people come together to tackle meaningful challenges, support one another, and continuously push the boundaries of what's possible.
To hear more about Donna's journey and her vision for AI enablement at Cloudera, check out her appearance on The AI Forecast podcast here. You can also meet more inspiring Clouderans here.
