Tonya is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she studied and earned a Bachelor's Degree in Sociology, with a concentration in the health of women and children. Having a diverse career background, from being a middle and high school English teacher to working the past 10+ years in the field of public health, Tonya has pulled from those various experiences to influence the lives of people she encounters.

Tonya is a DONA Certified Birth Doula, Birth Doula Trainer, Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator, Lamaze Program Trainer, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, and Fellow of the American College of Childbirth Educators. She's been working with expectant and parenting families for more than 20 years and she's passionate about providing labor support, childbirth education, and lactation services to women in her North Carolina community, especially those in areas of limited resources or access. She has had the honor of joining other birth workers to train healthcare staff and community workers in the United States, Kenya, and Kuwait with the hopes of improving pregnancies, births, and maternal/child health globally.

She continues to partner with like-minded individuals and local health departments, hospitals, and private institutions to increase the number of doulas and breastfeeding advocates in areas at risk for high maternal and infant mortality.