Tejesh Morla

Hometown: Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, India

Current Location: St. Louis, MO

Tell us about your personal and professional journey.

I grew up in a family that valued people above everything else. They were open, generous, and always willing to help others. They gave me the freedom to explore, stay curious, and think independently. Watching how they treated people shaped how I view leadership — grounded in respect, openness, and responsibility toward others.
Sports played a defining role in my development. As a national-level cricket player representing my state and university, I learned resilience, teamwork, and how to lead under pressure. My coaches, teammates, and undergraduate professors provided steady support throughout both my athletic and academic journey. Their encouragement reinforced that success is built on collective effort, preparation, and trust.

I later immigrated to Springfield, Illinois to pursue my Master’s in Computer Science at the University of Illinois Springfield. While I came to further my education, I also carried a long-term vision of entrepreneurship. UIS broadened my worldview and opened doors to new opportunities. Winning an international technical competition sponsored by Sun Microsystems during my time there strengthened my confidence and reinforced the importance of preparation and environment.

After graduation, I worked on global enterprise transformation initiatives, supporting large-scale SaaS platform implementations across commercial and public-sector organizations. Those early career years were formative. I learned from leaders who demonstrated how ownership, accountability, and long-term thinking create lasting impact. Their mentorship continues to shape how I lead today.

Over time, the entrepreneurial drive I carried became clearer. That conviction led me to found Omniskope. Building a company from the ground up required growing beyond technical expertise — building teams, developing people, and navigating uncertainty with discipline and purpose. Today, we partner with commercial and public-sector organizations to create agentic sales and service experiences through Salesforce CRM, Cloud platforms, and emerging AI technologies. Recently, we celebrated a decade of Omniskope.

Looking back, my journey has been shaped far more by the people around me than by individual milestones — family, coaches, professors, friends, mentors, customers who placed their trust in us, and the teams I now lead. That perspective continues to guide me to lead with ownership, put people first, and create lasting impact together.

Who or what has played a significant role in influencing or mentoring you?

Different stages of my life shaped different dimensions of who I am.

Sports laid the foundation. Cricket taught me discipline, resilience, and the mental strength to stay steady under pressure. That mindset continues to influence how I approach leadership and risk.

My time at the University of Illinois Springfield broadened how I think. Through my graduate assistantship with Tulio Losa and the classes I took with Sviatoslav Braynov, I developed a mindset to think beyond conventional boundaries and a deep appreciation for research-driven rigor. I remain in touch with both of them, and their intellectual depth and curiosity continue to inspire me.

My early career in global enterprise SaaS environments exposed me to leaders who modeled ownership, accountability, and long-term thinking. Those experiences shaped how I build teams and make decisions.
Entrepreneurship itself has been a powerful teacher. Building and sustaining a company required growing into responsibility — for people, clients, and outcomes.

Today, community leaders in the St. Louis region continue to influence me, reinforcing that leadership extends beyond business and into service.

Looking back, I’ve been shaped not by a single individual, but by layered influences — values from family, discipline from sport, intellectual depth from UIS, accountability from enterprise leadership, and responsibility through entrepreneurship and community engagement.

What accomplishments or contributions are you most proud of—professionally or personally?

I am proud of my family first and foremost. They are my foundation and constant source of perspective.
Building Omniskope is something I’m deeply proud of. While I value the technology transformations we’ve delivered as a team, the accomplishments that mean the most to me are the human ones.

I’m especially proud of the culture and meaningful impact we’ve built. Through our on-the-job training program, we’ve created pathways for individuals without traditional technology backgrounds to build strong careers in the cloud ecosystem. Watching someone grow from uncertainty into confidence—and knowing it can change their family’s future—is deeply fulfilling.

I’m also proud of our civic engagement, including supporting local causes and contributing to initiatives like the Saint Louis Tornado Recovery, where our team built a pro bono volunteer coordination system. Applying technology to strengthen communities, especially in times of need, reinforces why we do this work.

Mentoring students at the University of Illinois Springfield through Trailhead workshops and career guidance is equally meaningful to me. I’ve seen firsthand how powerful it is when someone helps you recognize what’s possible.

At the end of the day, I’m proud not just of what we build, but of who we help lift along the way.

What goals, projects, or aspirations are you excited about for the future?

As AI fundamentally reshapes how organizations operate, I’m excited to build the next chapter of Omniskope — helping define how this new era of intelligent systems is designed, adopted, and scaled responsibly, while creating new solutions that redefine how organizations function in an increasingly agentic world.

Beyond business growth, I’m motivated by contributing to a stronger regional ecosystem. I believe businesses of any size can play a meaningful role in their communities, influencing opportunity and long-term progress. I look forward to engaging more deeply with civic organizations and regional initiatives where we operate.

On a personal level, I’m equally excited about growth within my own family. As a husband, father, son, and brother, I look forward to how parenthood and family life will continue to shape my perspective and leadership. The responsibility we carry at home often strengthens the responsibility we carry in our work and community.

Looking ahead, my aspiration is simple: to build responsibly, give back intentionally, and contribute to systems — in business and in community — that create lasting impact over the long term.

What advice would you share with other emerging professionals who want to make an impact in their field or community?

If you have a dream, start now. There is never a perfect time. Progress comes from doing the right things consistently, learning from setbacks, adjusting when needed, and staying committed. Success is rarely linear — you learn, adapt, and keep moving forward. Over time, resilience and integrity matter more than anything else.

Take advantage of the resources around you. Through initiatives like Innovate Springfield at UIS, students have access to mentorship, entrepreneurship support, and real-world opportunities that can accelerate both learning and career growth. Lean into those resources early.

And remember, your community needs you more than you think. Impact often begins simply — showing up, contributing where you can, and building relationships. Staying engaged strengthens your community and creates a genuine sense of belonging.

Outside of work, what activities, interests, or passions keep you inspired and grounded?

Outside of work, my greatest joy is spending time with my wife and our four-year-old daughter. These days, her favorite activity is playing hide and seek, and those simple moments of laughter and presence are ones I truly cherish.

Staying physically active helps me maintain discipline and mental clarity. I’m naturally curious and spend time reading and learning about leadership, business, and emerging technologies. Exploring new ideas keeps me energized.

Civic and nonprofit engagement is also an important commitment for us as an organization. Supporting initiatives that promote inclusion, opportunity, and resilience reflects our responsibility to contribute meaningfully to the communities we serve and ensures our growth remains connected to positive local impact.

Whenever I can, I make trips from St. Louis to Springfield to reconnect with the UIS campus.

These activities keep me balanced, grateful, and grounded in what truly matters.

Is there anything else you’d like us to know as we celebrate you as a Promising Prairie Star?

UIS is more than a university to us — it is truly family. My wife, Anvita, and my sister are also proud UIS alumni, and several of my closest friends began their journeys there as well. The photo I’ve shared is from my sister’s graduation in 2016, a moment that reflects how deeply intertwined our family story is with UIS.
For us, UIS is not just where degrees were earned — it is where friendships were formed, careers were shaped, and a sense of belonging was built. Being recognized as a Promising Prairie Star feels like celebrating a shared journey.