Tonya Barbee was employed as an Administrator for twenty-two years with the Graduate School U. S. Department of Agriculture. In 2006 she began her career as a Program Manager with the National Defense University. She is a Thirty-One Consultant, a notary for the state of Maryland, an inspirational speaker, playwright, published author and a community service leader.
She graduated from F. W. Ballou High School, Washington, DC in 1980. Earning her BS Degree in Business Management in 2006 and an MBA in 2009 both from National-Louis University in Chicago, IL, Tonya has truly displayed a love for learning. Tonya’s skills in coordinating, planning, project management, analyzing reports and personnel management exceed proficiency.
Throughout her career, Tonya has earned a vast number of awards and recognitions. Some of her noteworthy awards are: Executive Director’s Award; National Dean’s Award; Leadership Award for serving as a speaker for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Assistant Campaign for Coordinator and Keyworker training and for community service. Tonya is also a member of the National Notary Association, Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and the Project Management Institute.
Born in Durham, North Carolina, Tonya was raised with three additional sisters and later, a younger brother. Her father (deceased) was an Army officer, a member of the elite Special Forces and a Purple Heart Recipient, (served three tours/Vietnam and Korean wars). Her mother, a college administrator for over 17 years, worked at Fayetteville State University and later for the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity at Howard University.
Her mother primarily raised Tonya. She has been blessed with four wonderful children of her own: Drew, Jessica, Christian and Zachary. She is a doting grandmother as well. Her eldest children have blessed her with two amazing granddaughters each. Tonya has also been gifted with an additional granddaughter and two more grandsons that she adores.
In her free time Tonya enjoys reading, writing, working with the elderly and fellowshipping with her friends and family. She is a member of the First Baptist Church of Highland Park in Landover; Maryland- presided by Reverend Dr. Henry P. Davis. Tonya also leads the Barbee Family Praise and Worship in which she and her children and grandchildren provide monthly entertainment to the local community nursing home, Villa Rosa, located in Bowie, MD.
Tonya has always enjoyed telling stories to anyone that gave her a listening ear. If you listen long enough the stories become quite entertaining, as they are very animated. She began to develop a strong love for writing and was eventually compelled by her closest friends to write about her stories by bringing them to life to share with others. As a result, she has published her first project, The Little Girl Inside: Owning My Role In My Own Pain with another one underway.
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