David Chisenhall reflects on his decision to join LM and what he looks forward to in his new role
October 5, 2026
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David Chisenhall joined the Office of Legacy Management (LM) in early August as the new senior technical advisor of field operations. Chisenhall has more than 34 years of federal experience in programming, construction, and project management. He joins LM after serving as the acting director for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Project Management.
Growing up in a military family, Chisenhall lived in numerous locations and bounced around about 27 homes between childhood and throughout his early career.
“I went to about six elementary schools by the time I reached fifth grade,” Chisenhall said. “While I now claim Pensacola, Florida, as home, moving around has definitely made me resilient.”
After earning his degree in civil engineering from the U.S. Air Force Academy, Chisenhall became a U.S. Air Force civil engineer officer, leading the planning, programming, design, and execution of facility and infrastructure projects across the United States and in contingency environments. During his service, he was able to earn a Master of Science in environmental science from Southern Methodist University.
After 25 years of military service, Chisenhall transitioned to the Office of Project Management, where he contributed to numerous cost reviews and estimates for the National Nuclear Security Administration, the Office of Environmental Management, and the Office of Science’s capital asset projects. And after all that, he finally landed at LM.
“I’ve always been interested in the cleanup environment. How do we protect our limited resources and make it better for the next generation while also not restricting society’s advancements? How do we balance these goals without too much friction?” Chisenhall said. “I wanted to work for LM because of my interest in the environment and the excellent leadership here.”
Though Chisenhall has helped on a variety of large projects and contributed to the success within many offices over his years of federal service, one of his biggest achievements was, he joked, “keep[ing] my sanity and humor over the past 34 years.”
When it comes to working with LM, Chisenhall is excited about the new opportunity to further his career and to help move the needle of success any way he can.
“The culture at LM really stands out,” Chisenhall added. “I’m looking forward to working with all the great talent within LM and getting to visit some of the sites.”
Apart from his career, Chisenhall loves yard work, fishing, golfing, and time on the beach.
