Sean O'Keefe is a former Administrator of NASA, leading the space agency from December 2001 to February 2005. His tenure was marked by a mix of triumph and tragedy, ranging from the tremendous success of the Mars Exploration Rovers to the disintegration of the Space Shuttle Columbia.

On February 21, 2005, after resigning from NASA, O'Keefe replaced Mark Emmert as chancellor of Louisiana State University. O'Keefe is also a member of the board of directors of DuPont corporation. He recently resigned from LSU on January 16, 2008 after rumors reporting that LSU System President John V. Lombardi told him to find a new job.