Tonya Williams is the Vice President of Communications and External Affairs at IWPR. With over 15 years of experience amplifying mission-driven work and uplifting women and communities of color, she is committed to ensuring that IWPR’s research drives national conversations and informs lasting policy change.

Before joining IWPR, Tonya served in the Biden-Harris administration as Director of the Office of Communications and Marketing at AmeriCorps, where she led integrated campaigns that elevated the stories of service and civic engagement across the country. Previously, she spent six years at EMILYs List as Senior Director of Strategic Communications, where she shaped the organization’s voice through three election cycles, launched national campaigns to elevate women’s political leadership, and guided the brand through a relaunch to reach broader, more diverse audiences.

Tonya also served as Director of Communications at America’s Promise Alliance, where she led media outreach and strategic communications for the GradNation campaign to increase high school graduation rates, with a focus on equity and youth voice.

Tonya holds a master’s degree in corporate communications from Georgetown University and a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Memphis. A proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and Jack & Jill of America, Inc., she is deeply committed to mentorship, community uplift, and advancing gender equity.

Originally from Mississippi and raised in middle Tennessee, she lives in Virginia with her husband and two children.