Tonya Williams

Tonya Williams brings nearly 20 years of corporate communications and public relations experience to AmeriCorps, where she leads the Office of Communications and Marketing. Throughout her career, Williams has been committed to making a lasting positive impact on the world through her work in advocacy, social justice, and political empowerment.

Most recently, Williams served for six years as director and senior director of strategic communications at EMILYs List, the nation’s largest resource for women in politics. During her time there, she worked to promote leadership and uplift the organization’s brand attracting new, diverse audiences. Williams was instrumental in mapping out the strategic vision and voice of EMILYs List through three election cycles, a rebrand, two new presidential rollouts, and other special projects.

Prior to that, Williams was the director of communications at America’s Promise Alliance, a nonprofit organization that convenes organizations and communities around the most important issues facing the next generation. While at America’s Promise, Williams helped drive the development, direction, and implementation of the overall communications strategy for the organization and the GradNation campaign and its research arm, the Center for Promise.

Williams earned a Bachelor of Art degree in journalism from the University of Memphis, and a Master of Professional Studies in corporate communications from Georgetown University. She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and Jack & Jill of America, Inc. 

A Mississippi native, raised in middle Tennessee, Williams now resides in Virginia with her husband and two incredible children.