Dr. Margie Vela has devoted her career to diversity and equity in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). She currently serves the STEM community as a global diversity program manager in the technology sector. Her contributions to broadening participation of underrepresented groups include serving as Senior Project Manager for the National Science Foundation (NSF) Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) National STEM Resource Hub and as the Assistant Director for the Science and Mathematics Initiative for Learning Enrichment (SMILE) at Delaware State University (a Historically Black University). Throughout her career she has designed and delivered diversity training and programming for institutions of higher education and industry. She earned her Ph.D. in Water Science and Management from New Mexico State University (NMSU) as a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Fellow; and earned a Certification in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion from Cornell University.