About Tonja
Tonja Murphy is an author, consultant, and motivational speaker. Ms. Murphy’s engagement with the community also includes serving as Community Engagement Director for the Mississippi Book Festival, Mississippi’s literary lawn party.
When Ms. Tonja Murphy is not serving the community, she is using her voice—and her pen—to empower others to become their best selves. Through books, workshops, and authentic storytelling, she shares tools to inspire personal growth, faith, and purpose. Her most recent release, His Bread For Me, is a heartfelt devotional that offers daily encouragement, scripture, and reflection to nourish the soul and strengthen faith through life’s everyday moment.
Her writing has been featured in a variety of publications including The Clarion-Ledger, Mississippi Christian Living, Portico Jackson Magazine, and Woman to Woman with Joanne Magazine.
A lifelong advocate for education and families, Ms. Murphy was named Parent of the Year for the Jackson Public School District in 2012 and was a finalist for the Mississippi State Parent of the Year. Her leadership and service have been highlighted in the Jackson Free Press, WLBT’s Mississippi Strong segment, and the inaugural edition of Who’s Who in Black Mississippi. She is also a recipient of the Community Impact Award from Butterflies by Grace Defined by Faith, an honorable mention for the Governor’s Initiative on Volunteer Service Award, and a formal resolution from the City of Jackson recognizing her outstanding service to the community.
Ms. Murphy holds a bachelor’s degree from Jackson State University and earned both her master’s and doctorate degrees from New Foundation Theological Seminary. She is a graduate of Leadership Greater Jackson, the Business Advantage for Professionals Program at Millsaps College, and the Advanced Applied Leadership Program in the Else School of Business at Millsaps. She is also a proud fellow of the Change Collective, a national leadership program for emerging changemakers committed to building stronger communities.
*Photo by Chelsea Renea Photography
“The goal is to always engage, encourage
and inspire others to greatness.” -Tonja Murphy
