Tonya Whitaker

Tonya Whitaker, is Copy Editor for Journal of African American Males in Education (JAAME). Tonya Whitaker earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology with a minor in communication from Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas. As a student at Lamar, Whitaker worked for four years as a staff member for the University Press, the university’s award-winning student newspaper. She garnered six collegiate and professional journalism awards in news reporting, ad design and news feature writing. In 1997, she was appointed as editor of the newspaper. Whitaker was also inducted into Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and named a finalist for the Bess Gentry Award, the highest honor bestowed upon a female in her graduating class. Since July 1998, Whitaker has worked as a copy editor, page designer and reporter for daily and weekly publications such as The Port Arthur News, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and The Huntsville (Texas) Item. She currently serves as a staff writer for the North Dallas Gazette, a weekly African-American publication. Whitaker is a post baccalaureate English major at Texas Woman’s University in Denton, Texas. In summer 2011, the Plano, Texas, resident will begin work on a master’s degree in English at TWU.