NVIDIA director Ellen Ochoa steps down after six years

Ellen Ochoa, the trailblasing former NASA astronaut and veteran science leader, has officially stepped down from the board of directors of NVIDIA Corporation, effective 31 July 2025. The announcement was disclosed in a Form 8-K filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Tuesday.

Ochoa’s resignation also includes her departure from the board’s Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. The Santa Clara-based tech giant stated that her decision to step down was due to personal reasons, and clarified that there were “no disagreements with the company on any matter relating to its operations, policies, or practices.”

Ochoa joined NVIDIA’s board in 2018, bringing with her a wealth of experience from the public sector, academia, and space research. She served as the director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center from 2013 to 2018 and was the first Hispanic woman to travel to space, piloting the space shuttle Discovery in 1993. Throughout her career, she has been an advocate for STEM education, diversity in science and technology, and ethical leadership in innovation.

During her six-year tenure on NVIDIA’s board, Ochoa contributed to the company’s governance through a period of rapid expansion and technological transformation, as the chipmaker rose to prominence as a key player in artificial intelligence (AI), data centre infrastructure, and high-performance computing.

NVIDIA has not announced a replacement for Ochoa as of this writing.

As of its latest filings and public reports, the company continues to report record-breaking growth, driven largely by the AI boom. Its market capitalisation recently crossed the $3 trillion mark, putting it among the world’s most valuable companies. The leadership team, headed by CEO Jensen Huang, has been praised for strategic investments in AI computing platforms and GPU advancements that have positioned NVIDIA at the centre of global digital transformation.

Despite Ochoa’s departure, the company emphasised continuity and stability in governance. “We thank Dr. Ochoa for her valuable contributions over the years. Her insights and guidance have been instrumental during a pivotal period for NVIDIA,” the company said in a brief statement shared in its regulatory filing.

Ochoa’s resignation adds to a growing list of high-profile board changes across the technology sector, as companies reassess board composition to address emerging challenges in AI governance, geopolitical pressures, and workforce transformation. However, in this instance, NVIDIA has made it clear that the exit is entirely personal and amicable.