Nothing Can Stop You!

As your best choice for your social and business event, bringing out the best in each participant, speaker, and host, ensuring that each do the best job. Tonya will make sure that the audience gets the most out of the day or session. As the moderator, Tonya will ensure that the speakers stick to the time, the right questions get asked and answered with the appropriate follow-up and bridge to the next portion of activity to keep the program flowing. She is available for event moderation or panel/session discussion.

When destructive relationship patterns get passed down from generation to generation, we must put a stop to it and set new precedent for our family’s future generations. This can range from those that witness domestic violence, substance abuse and other mental health issues without treatment. Taking steps to identify the behavior(s), those that impart dysfunction on your family and eliminating the element requires various steps to ensure a more pleasant family environment.

Understand local politics. Find your voice and get involved. As our cities grow and evolve, there will be things that you do not like or changes that you would like to see. Don’t think that your voice doesn’t matter. Get involved. Get educated on the issues. Take a stance. Be an active part of the solution. We examine the various ways that each of us can be involved and engaged in what takes place in our communities.

With more than 20 years of public relations and marketing experience, Sand & Shores was established out of the growing need for exposure for authors, speakers, personalities, events, organizations, and entrepreneurs. I can teach individually or as a group or team to profit from establishing a public relations strategy.

Tonya McKenzie has more than 20 years of public speaking experience at schools of higher education, local politics, corporate training & leadership, and community relations. Tonya started early in her career with campaign speeches to run and be elected to an Associated Student Directorship position at CSUN, the president of her Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., and President of the NPHC chapter on campus. As an Associate Executive Director at the Mt. Diablo Region YMCA, Tonya co-authored the FIT Kids Manual for the Contra Costa Health Services where she would later go on to use it to train selected school staff to implement the program with all of their attending youth. Tonya also served as a staff trainer and a CPR/AED trainer for the American Red Cross, training over 200 youth and adults in the Bay Area. Mrs. McKenzie was nominated, campaigned and was elected to the Oakley Chamber of Commerce as a Director where she chaired a successful Annual Almond Festival and Citizen of the Year event. Tonya has coached competitive cheerleading at the middle school and high school level and also chartered a graduate chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. in Northern California. Tonya was appointed and served on the Youth Council for Contra Costa County Supervisor Federal Glover, Facilitated & MC’d events for Contra Costa County’s Supervisor Mary Piepho and moderated political discussions and debates for past Oakley, CA Mayor, Brad Nix. You can find Tonya McKenzie highlighted in the pages of Amazing Moms: Parents of the 21st Century. Mrs. Tonya McKenzie is the author of a memoir titled, Childhood Memories of Cartoons and Murder. This well-crafted book covers an unthinkable act of violence that Tonya witnessed as a small child and the incredible story of her resilience that guided her through various other episodes of violence and chaos throughout her young life. She covers topics that she passionately speaks about; non-combat PTSD, predatory behavior, generational dysfunction, and domestic violence. Tonya has culminated her work with the nonprofit, private and the public arena to step out and speak up for the empowerment of women, the future of our children and disadvantaged youth. Tonya is a trauma recovery coach, helping many people move past the ugly in life to discover the beautiful future that they deserve.

Tonya is also the founder and principal consultant at Sand & Shores PR. She has used her public relations, marketing and advertising skills to raise money for the YMCA, successfully carry out her duties on the board of directors for the Chamber of Commerce and assist authors, entrepreneurs, nonprofits and small businesses grow through their media attention and brand recognition.