Dr. Tonya holds a degree in Early Childhood Education and earned a Doctoral Degree Divinity from Grace International Seminary/Trinity International Seminary. She also completed specialized training with the Texas Association Against Sexual Assault (TAASA).
As a committed advocate, speaker, and trainer, Dr. Tonya collaborates closely with Homeland Security and actively participates in the rescue of trafficking victims. Drawing from her personal story of resilience and deep understanding of the underground world of trafficking, she provides training to a wide range of professionals, including the FBI, law enforcement, Homeland Security, Special Victims Unit (SVU), Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANE), hospitals, hotels, airline staff, school personnel, faith-based leaders, medical professionals, prosecutors, communities, and other agencies.
In 2014, Dr. Tonya founded It’s Going To Be OK, Inc. (IGTBOK), a non-profit organization dedicated to providing comprehensive support for trafficking victims. IGTBOK offers housing, food, clothing, protection, trauma-informed mental health counseling, education, legal assistance, intensive case management, and other essential services.
Deeply involved in advocacy, Dr. Tonya has testified before the Texas State Senate and played a key role in the passage of House Bill 2290, which designates January as Human Trafficking Prevention Month. She was featured in the documentary Be The One, produced by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, and has collaborated with organizations such as 3Strands Global Foundation, Love Never Fails, and the Frederick Douglass Family Initiatives. In 2021, she contributed to the development of curriculum for the Office of Trafficking in Persons (OTIP). Dr. Tonya is also a consultant for Fort Worth ISD.
HEART Training Video Featuring Dr. Tonya Stafford The HEART (Hearing, Evaluating, Activating, Resourcing, and Training) Training teaches healthcare practitioners how to identify and respond appropriately to potential human trafficking victims in healthcare settings using victim-centered approaches and trauma-informed care principles. Texas healthcare practitioners are required to complete an HHS-approved human trafficking training for each license renewal period. The HEART training is an HHSapproved course in accordance with Texas House Bill 2059. To date, this training has reached and trained over 300,000 professionals.
Her story is one of hope and resilience, and her award-winning smile, combined with her poignant message has moved audiences worldwide. She brings a fresh and powerful perspective to one of the most pressing human rights and social justice issues of our time, inspiring others with her compelling story.
Dr. Tonya is warm and inviting, blending seriousness with humor in her work. She enjoys greeting people with an old-fashioned hug. In her spare time, she loves traveling, working out, and spending time with her family as a mother and grandmother. She is also the forthcoming author of her life story, And Then I Was Free, which will be released soon.