Dr. Tonia Burgess
Chief Strategy Officer
“When you walk in your purpose, your business will succeed. The road to entrepreneurship is paved with opportunities to share your gifts with the world.” -Tonia
Bio
Dr. Tonia Burgess is a native of Sacramento, California. She earned her Doctorate in Education, with an emphasis on transformational leadership and change. Her dissertation topic was the “Phenomenological Lived Experience of Black Women in Positions of Leadership in CA State Government.”
Tonia’s first book was published by Balboa Press in 2018 under the pen name Marie Powers, “G7 When God Sends you Seven People to Propel you Forward.” Additionally, she holds an MBA with a concentration in Organizational Leadership.
Dr. Burgess has worked for the state of California for over 36 years. She spent over 20 years serving small and disadvantaged businesses and disabled veteran enterprise entrepreneurs statewide. She is skilled at evaluating business operations, identifying business development opportunities, and supporting businesses to access government contracts. She is the founder of Soul Sound Sanctuary, a business that supports self-care and wellness through sound baths and building community.