Cynthia Teller is a bubbly, sweet individual from a small town located on the Navajo Nation known as Ganado, AZ. Here, she graduated from high school as valedictorian, enabling her to become a scholar of Gates Millennium and Chief Manuelito in May of 2016. These scholarships paved the path for her to tackle undergrad debt-free. In November of 2020, Cynthia completed nursing school at Northern Arizona University, located in Flagstaff, AZ, earning her Bachelor of Science in Nursing. After passing the NCLEX, she fulfilled her promise by returning home to care for and promote the health of her people. Cynthia served as a Labor, Delivery, Recovery, and Postpartum nurse for two and a half years before proceeding forward with pediatric case management in Fort Defiance, AZ. In her current role, she is dedicated to teaching her community how to navigate the healthcare system while simultaneously fighting structural barriers to balance the walk of both worlds for better health outcomes.

Being a first-generation college graduate, Cynthia aims to inspire and mentor those who have aspirations to pursue a career in the healthcare field. In June of 2024, Ms. Teller became a mentor for the Southwest HEAL Leadership Program of which she enjoys wholeheartedly. Cynthia joined HEAL as a Global Fellow to collaborate with those who enjoy improving their community with genuine devotion and everlasting love. During her free time, she enjoys: journaling, zumba, creative writing, couponing, exploring cooking recipes, roller skating, and thrift shopping. If you ask her about Bruno Mars or Kali Uchis, she will talk forever. Her formal interest is exploring the effect of prevalent comorbidities and environmental factors on the Navajo Nation to one’s pregnancy, delivery, and early years of life, with the hope of discovering prevention or early intervention methods.

Fun fact: on August 1, 2018, she delivered her nephew, Lucus, during an unexpected home birth. He is now six years old and ready to start second grade!