Cain serves today as the director of Air, Space and Cyberspace operations at the headquarters of Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) at Wright-Patterson.
Both AFRL and AFMC are headquartered at Wright-Patterson.
Cain served as commander of the 96th Test Wing at Eglin Air Force Base before he assumed his current position in July 2022.
Pringle will assume her new role in Colorado Springs effective July 1.
She will retire after 32 years of military service, succeeding current Space Foundation CEO Tom Zelibor, who announced his retirement in May 2022, the foundation said.
“As we begin a new chapter of service to the global space community and the Colorado Springs community, we are very excited to have the talents and energies of Maj. Gen. Pringle to lead Space Foundation forward into the most exciting space era we’ve ever experienced,” said chairman of Space Foundation’s board of directors Jeff Grant. “Her demonstrated capabilities as an engineer/scientist, educator, innovator and team builder give us great confidence she is the right leader for Space Foundation.”
“I am excited and honored by the opportunity to lead Space Foundation’s team and continue its tradition of service and excellence to the space community,” Pringle said in a foundation announcement. “Today’s space ecosystem presents greater opportunities for more people than ever before, and I look forward to doing my part with Space Foundation’s team to advance education and service opportunities for everyone.”
Pringle assumed command of AFRL at Wright-Patterson in June 2020.
As commander, she replaced Brig. Gen. Evan Dertien, who had assumed command of AFRL on an interim basis after former AFRL commander Maj. Gen. William Cooley was removed from command.
As AFRL commander, Pringle is responsible for managing the Air Force’s sprawling $3 billion research and technology efforts, with an additional $2.3 billion in externally funded research and development.
She oversees about 6,000 people in the laboratory’s nine component technology directorates and the 711th Human Performance Wing. The latter wing is also based at Wright-Patterson.
Pringle began her military service as a cadet at the Air Force Academy, where she graduated in 1991 with a degree in human factors.
Pringle’s selection as CEO came after a nationwide executive search led by McAleer Gray, a national executive search firm based in Denver, the foundation said.
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