Tonya Holmes
I have been working in administrative roles for almost 30 years, and my journey has taken me through some incredible experiences. I started as a receptionist at Clear Channel Radio and worked my way up from there - becoming a program coordinator, then moving to the dean's office, and eventually serving as an executive assistant to one of the largest financial mortgage companies in Columbia, South Carolina. One of my most meaningful roles was as the administrative coordinator for the internal medicine residency program in Savannah, Georgia, where I had the privilege of supporting residents from their first nervous day through their third year. Seeing those students grow into successful physicians who now own their own practices or serve as chiefs of staff at hospitals brings me tremendous joy - I feel like their success is part of my success, especially the ones I worked with from their first year to their third year. Currently, I work at Emory School of Law managing the externship program, where I serve as the liaison between students and employers, setting up experiential learning opportunities for our 2L and 3L students. My responsibilities include ensuring everything meets ABA standards, making sure students are completing and logging their hours correctly, and providing mentorship and academic advising. The biggest challenge I face is helping students understand the importance of professional habits like checking email and responding in a timely manner - skills they will need not just in school, but throughout their careers as lawyers.
• Some college
• Distinguished Service
• WOW of South Carolina (Women of Wisdom)
• WOW of South Carolina (Women of Wisdom) - supporting battered women
• Donating clothes
• Shoes
• And purses to women's shelters and girls' shelters
What do you attribute your success to?
I'm a Capricorn, and I never see defeat. If someone tells me that I can't do something, I'm going to show them that I can. If there's something that I really want, I'm going to work hard, no matter what, to get it done. People that know me know that about me - if it's something that I'm going to do, if I tell you I'm going to do it, just know it's already done. My kids have been a huge driving force for me. I felt like it was my job and responsibility, no matter whether I was young or older, to make sure my children were better than me. Everything I've done is a representation of integrity and succeeding. I just want to be able to be a positive figure in my children's lives and my grandchildren's lives. Even though I was a single mother at a young age and didn't finish school the traditional way, I still finished and came out on top. I'm not a statistic. Where you start doesn't have to be where you end, and I consider myself the rose that grew through concrete.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Relationships are more important than résumés
Most career opportunities don’t appear on job boards — they come through people who trust you. Treat networking like relationship-building, not transactions.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would tell her to follow her heart, and not her man. It's very important to have your own money, your own security, your own stability, your own mind, your own things. I always tell my girls that people will take care of you until you need them to take care of you. You don't ever want to be in a position where you can't feed yourself or take care of yourself. If I had to look back at my younger self, I would ignore the noise and walk on by. I should have finished school the way I was supposed to, but I still finished and came out on top. I'm not a statistic. Even at my age, I've been able to travel the world, I am not homeless, we have cars, I have a beautiful family, my kids are safe, they're not in jail, they're not dead, they're not on drugs, and I commend myself for that. Where you start doesn't have to be where you end. I consider myself the rose that grew through concrete.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
I think the biggest challenges in my field right now are related to preparing law students for their professional careers. Since my students are in school to become lawyers, I would like for them to be better prepared, but it's hard to keep reminding them to do the necessary things. My biggest obstacle in my position now is getting them to understand that they need to log their hours and do the things that are necessary not only while they're in school, but as part of their daily lives when they become professional lawyers in offices. They have to be able to check their email and respond in a timely manner, and just getting that through their heads is the hardest part right now.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I like to say that I try to live my life in a way where people won't have to lie at my funeral. Integrity is so important to me. With all the social media these days, people do things for likes and want to be seen for all the wrong reasons. I want to be able to help someone silently and make that change or make that difference. I don't have to show the world, because it's so hard asking for help in the first place, and a lot of people don't want to be seen in that light. For me, I like to give anonymously. I like to show love. When I see something on social media outlets where someone who can be a complete stranger needs a prayer, I send a prayer, because that's the one thing you can actually give for free. Sometimes it's all we need, is to know that there's someone else that cares. And that happens at work and at home.