Nelly Anna, born in Binjai, North Sumatra, on June 10, 1981, is of Minangkabau descent and is the tenth of ten siblings. She is currently married to Drh. Rachmad Wahyudi, M.Si (Han), and they have been blessed with four children. Her higher education journey began with a Bachelor's degree (S.Hut) in the USU Faculty of Agriculture Undergraduate Program in Forestry, graduating in 2000. She then continued her education in Forestry Science at the Faculty of Forestry, IPB University, graduating in 2005 with a Master of Science (M.Si). After a few years, she chose to pursue her higher education at the same university and obtained a Doctorate (Dr.) in 2015.

During her undergraduate program, she received an educational scholarship from Pertamina. While pursuing her doctoral program, she was awarded a scholarship in the form of the Domestic Postgraduate Education Scholarship (BPPDN). Since 2008 until now, she has been working as a lecturer in the Forestry Program at the Faculty of Forestry, Universitas Sumatera Utara. From 2010 to 2015, she was entrusted with the role of assisting Vice Dean 1 of the USU Faculty of Agriculture in the field of education (as a special staff for Vice Dean 1). Then, in 2023, she was once again entrusted to assist Vice Dean III in the field of cooperation (as a special staff for Vice Dean 3).

Aligned with her expertise, she is entrusted to be one of the lecturers in the Forest Cultivation interest and teaches various courses such as forest biotechnology, tree breeding, dendrology, forest and land fires, forest pests and diseases, forest genetics, tree growth and wood quality, and basic forest protection. As a lecturer, she actively carries out the Tri Dharma (Three Missions) of Higher Education, including research and community service, with publications in various scientific works such as proceedings and reputable journals at national and international levels.