Tonya Williams
Tonya Williams is a trusted advisor and strategic operator with more than 20 years of experience helping leaders and global organizations navigate complex reputational, regulatory, and political challenges. She brings deep expertise at the intersection of policy, innovation, and business, with a proven track record of driving high-impact outcomes across sectors.
Most recently, Tonya served as Chief of Staff to the Deputy Secretary at the U.S. Department of Commerce and was a member of Secretary Gina Raimondo’s senior leadership team. In this role, she oversaw more than $100 billion in public-private investments and led cross-functional execution across 13 bureaus focused on economic development, trade, national security, and emerging technologies.
Previously, she was Head of External Affairs and Corporate Responsibility at SoftBank, a global investment firm focused on AI and frontier technologies. There, she spearheaded initiatives to elevate the firm’s global brand and stakeholder engagement, counseled executives on regulatory and governance risks, and helped launch SoftBank’s first early-stage investment fund—deploying over $100 million to more than 80 tech startups, including four successful exits in just two years.
Tonya has held senior roles at the White House, in Congress, and at leading global corporations, where she has shaped strategy and messaging at the highest levels. Across government, business, philanthropy, and politics, she is known for adaptive problem solving in dynamic environments, bringing clarity and credibility to complex issues, and earning the trust of influential stakeholders.
She holds a J.D. from the University of North Carolina School of Law and a B.A. in Political Science from UNC–Chapel Hill. She serves on several corporate and advisory boards and currently lives in Washington, D.C., with her husband, Chris, and their two beloved black dogs. An avid traveler, she has visited over 40 countries—and when not tackling New York Times puzzles or gardening, she can often be found championing the virtues of North Carolina barbecue.
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