Dr. Tello is a licensed professional engineer and first-generation American with indigenous ancestry of the Pijaos from the Central Andes of Colombia. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Biological Resources Engineering from the University of Maryland, College Park; Masters of Science in Industrial Engineering, and Occupational Ergonomics and Safety from the University of Miami, Coral Gables; and a Doctor of Philosophy in Civil, Environmental, and Sustainable Engineering from Arizona State University.
Dr. Tello founded the non-profit, Whole Earth Engineering, Inc., that focuses on helping remote and Indigenous communities integrate traditional community knowledge with modern STEAM solutions for culturally appropriate outcomes. Dr. Tello’s previous professional experience includes: the US Department of Defense, Air Force; the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission; the US Department of Treasury, Bureau of the Fiscal Service; the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, and the US Public Health Service, National Institutes of Health.