A member of the majority party, Nelson was selected by her colleagues to serve as Majority Leader and chairs the Committee on Education and Infrastructural Advancement, Border Protection and Maritime Transportation, Guåhan Preservation and Self-Determination, and Federal and Foreign Relations.

In the 35th Guam Legislature Nelson was elected as the Vice Speaker and Majority Leader and chaired the Committee on Education, Air Transportation, and Statics Research and Planning, and in the 34th Guam Legislature Nelson was the Majority Whip and chaired the Committee on Housing, Utilities, Public Safety, and Homeland Security.

Telena Cruz Nelson was born on September 25, 1980, in Portland, Oregon, the first of five children.

Her maternal grandmother Connie was instrumental in the pilgrimage that brought the Santa Maria Kamalen-Our Lady of Camarin to the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. She and her maternal grandmother are lectors at their Catholic Church.

She attended Simon Sanchez High School in Guam.

Nelson is a Major in the Guam Army National Guard.

[1] She served in a combat zone in Afghanistan and deployed as a lone soldier from the Guam company from 2010-2011.

106-36 (LS) Committee on Education, Air Transportation, and Statistics, Research and Planning; and further amended on the floor now P.L.

Coming from a background of educators- her parents, both grandmothers, aunts, siblings, and cousins- her calling was clear to help educate younger generations.

Her family comes from a lineage of farmers and ranchers that have produced their own food and agricultural products for means of living and reselling.

Her great-great-grandfather Peter Nelson was a botanist and discovered a large tree from the Serianthes family which they named after him.

She has shown her passion for helping the community by holding multiple teaching positions over the span of several years.

Nelson has had the opportunity to work as a Science and Physical Education Teacher as well as hold the position of Opportunity Room and Secondary Teacher positions.

Through these positions, she has been able to enrich her students’ curriculum to the national and state standards as well as promote physical fitness in the lives of Guam’s youth.

In the years to follow, she would further serve her country and island by joining the Guam Army National Guard by holding the position of Combat Medic where she would administer emergency medical treatment to battlefield casualties, assist with outpatient and inpatient care and treatment, as well as drawing and preparing blood samples for laboratory analysis up until August 2007.

From there she has held the positions of Officer in Charge of Headquarters for the 105th Troop Command Headquarters, Company Commander for the 1671st Signal Network Support Detachment, S6 Signal Officer for the 1225th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, Afghanistan, Training Officer for HQ 105th Troop Command, Chief Plans and Operations Officer (CND-Team Chief), Company Commander for the 721st Signal Company, 105th Troop Command, Guam Army National Guard, and the Computer Network Defense Team Chief 721st Signal Company, 105th Troop Command, Guam Army National Guard.