Biographical Information

Born: March 18, 1977 in Detroit
Marital Status: Married
Spouse/Partner: Nathaniel Phillips Jr.
Children: Nathaniel Ryan Phillips III
Education: Tonya attended Detroit Public Schools, graduating from Renaissance High School in 1995. She received her bachelor's degree with honors from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor in 1999. Tonya went on to her law degree from the University of Michigan Law School in 2004.
Employment/Military Record: Upon graduating from the University of Michigan Law School, Tonya worked for the Sugar Law Center for Economic and Social Justice where she was active in a lawsuit to force Detroit Public Schools to remediate an environmentally contaminated site. Tonya also assisted with legal support, working collaboratively with organizers, to obtain an Executive Order from Governor Granholm on Environmental Justice. Ms. Phillips also worked with the Sugar Law team and the Detroit City Council to strengthen the investigatory and enforcement provisions of the Detroit Living Wage Ordinance.
Community Activities: Tonya currently volunteers and serves on the Board of Directors for Sidewalk Festival Detroit, New Leaders Council-Detroit (Advisory Board), the National Lawyers Guild-Detroit, and her neighborhood block club. Tonya has also served on the Justice Policy Initiatives Committee for the State Bar of Michigan, the Board of Directors for Habitat for Humanity-Detroit, the Wolverine Bar Association, the Coleman A. Young Foundation, the Institute for Population Health, and Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice.
Religion: Christian, Non-Denominational

Elections and Political Participation

Michigan House 7th District 2024
General Vote: 22,713 of 28,784 (78%)
Primary Vote: 4,986 of 7,342 (67%)
Campaign Finance Reports

Michigan House 4th District 2020
Primary Vote: 1,417 of 13,953 (10%)
Campaign Finance Reports

Michigan House 4th District Special Election (November 3, 2020)
Primary Vote: 1,444 of 13,747 (10%)
Campaign Finance Reports