Sounds of Inspiration

Tonya Rivens is an award-winning Journalist with more than 30 years in radio, ten years in television and is a feature writer for a monthly publication. Tonya received the 2023 National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) Angelo B. Henderson Community Service Award, 2021 & 2022 Chan Zuckerberg Grant (NABJ) and is a North Carolina Equity Fellow. She has a BA (Bachelor of Arts) in Journalism from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and MS (Master of Science) in Communications, specializing in Journalism Innovation, from Syracuse University. Tonya enjoys reading, traveling and spending time with her family.

As a Radio veteran, she has held the positions of Program Director, Music Director and Community Affairs Director. Her current show, Sounds of Inspiration, is featured on Radio One Charlotte (Praise 100.9) She has a weekly entertainment feature titled TTIME (syndicated) and works as a freelance television reporter. Tonya’s radio career includes stints at WPEG (Power 98), WBAV (101.9), WPZS (100.9-first female on air personality) and Streetz Charlotte (WGIV).

She is a member of Hunters Chapel UMC where she serves as a Lay Leader. Tonya is a small business owner (TRivens, LLC, 2003), founder and executive director of a 501c3, nonprofit, (2005) and a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.