Telle Whitney

Telle Whitney is a pioneering computer scientist and advocate for women in technology. She earned her BS in Computer Science from the University of Utah in 1978, where she discovered her passion for the field after initially studying theater and political science. An interest inventory test led her to computer science at one of the earliest departments in the country. She continued her studies at the California Institute of Technology, obtaining an MS in 1981 and a PhD in Computer Science in 1985. Her doctoral thesis, advised by Carver Mead, addressed hierarchical composition of VLSI circuits, laying groundwork for advancements in chip design and supporting software.

Whitney's career spans industry leadership and nonprofit innovation. In Silicon Valley, she held senior technical management roles, including Director at Actel for eleven years, contributing to the largest FPGA chip design of its time; VP of Engineering at Malleable Technologies, scaling the team from four to forty; and VP at PMC-Sierra. In 1994, she co-founded the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing with Anita Borg, fostering community for technical women. As President and CEO of the Anita Borg Institute from 2002 to 2017, she expanded its global reach, hosting multiple Grace Hopper events including the first in India in 2010, launching the Women of Vision Awards, and establishing the Top Company for Technical Women Award. She co-founded the National Center for Women and Information Technology in 2004. Whitney served as ACM Secretary/Treasurer, on NSF advisory committees, and advisory boards like Caltech's Information Science and Technology. Her impact is recognized by election to the National Academy of Engineering in 2022 for structured silicon design and promoting women in computing; IEEE Honorary Membership in 2019; ACM Distinguished Service Award in 2009; Fast Company’s Most Influential Women in Technology; and more. She remains active on boards including AI4ALL, as a consultant, speaker, and author of an upcoming book on rebooting tech culture in 2025.