​​Tonya Lyles (she/her/hers) joined the Blue Horizon team in the summer of 2022 to serve as a Community Engagement Manager for the Blue Horizon Black Candidate Discussion Group. She quickly took on more responsibilities, creating the Blue Horizon Podcast and leading the Blue Horizon grant-seeking efforts. As Director of Programs, Tonya leads community outreach, civic engagement, and educational programs.
Tonya is a doctor of Chinese Medicine and a birth worker, with experience as a community-based activist to address health disparities. She cares deeply about local and statewide political involvement to make ALL the needed changes for a more just and equitable Texas. Her professional experience includes curriculum design and instruction, workshop design and facilitation, and program coordination.
In addition to her Doctorate in Chinese Medicine, Tonya holds an MA in Curriculum and Instruction from New Mexico State University and a BA in Spanish & Geography from Western Michigan University.