06/17/2026
Please join us in welcoming Tonya Tolson to our advocate team! 🗣️
Tonya is a dedicated educational leader, nonprofit executive, and community advocate with more than 25 years of experience in education and student development. She currently serves as the Assistant Principal of Student Support Services at Mountain Island Charter School, where she is committed to fostering student success, supporting educators, and creating inclusive learning environments that empower all students to thrive.
Tonya holds a Master of Science in Educational Administration from Trinity Washington University and a Bachelor of Arts in English from Seton Hall University. She is licensed in North Carolina as both a School Administrator and an English educator and has built a career centered on leadership, academic excellence, and student advocacy.
Beyond her work in education, Tonya is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of AJ and the Cool Kids Autism Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting children with autism and their families through advocacy, education, community engagement, and resource development. Inspired by her family's personal journey with autism, she has helped lead initiatives that provide family support, autism awareness programming, educational workshops, community grants, and inclusive events throughout North Carolina.
Under her leadership, the foundation has expanded its reach to hundreds of families through autism walks, community outreach events, educational programs, and advocacy efforts that help families navigate services and educational systems. Tonya is passionate about creating opportunities that increase awareness, acceptance, and access for individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities.
A respected leader in both education and nonprofit service, Tonya is also an active member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated and is dedicated to advancing initiatives that strengthen families, empower women, and improve outcomes for children and underserved communities.
Recognized for her commitment to service, leadership, and advocacy, Tonya continues to make a lasting impact through her work in schools, nonprofit leadership, and community engagement. Her mission is simple yet powerful: to create meaningful opportunities that help every child, every family, and every community reach their fullest potential.