Welcome

Coaching You to Success

Motivational Speaker • Inclusivity & Creativity Expert • Award-Winning Author • Patient Advocate • Artist • Co-Creative Coach

Book Now

About Tonya

Writing Coach, Motivational Speaker, Patient Advocate.

Artist, Author, and Advocate

Tonya C. Hegamin is a Type 1 Diabetic with a medical alert service dog, Bobo.

She has worked with organizations like Women Against Rape, Police Athletic League and Planned Parenthood since 1998. Her experience as a patient and victim advocate and community educator stems from her personal journey as a bisexual and chronically ill woman of color. Her advocacy focuses on medical bias and seeking legal accommodations in higher education and work settings. She also helps patients and medical professionals suffering from social stigmas of health through Narrative Medicine.Hegamin attended the New School University’s Creative Writing MFA program, and she holds a certificate in Diversity and Inclusion Education and Training from Cornell University Institute of Labor Relations. Tonya’s novels, short stories and poetry focus on cultural history, inclusion,(dis)ablity, LGBTQIA+, body positivity and womanist perspectives. She has won awards, reviews and recognition from The New York Public Library, The Christopher Award Foundation, Fortune Magazine, The Washington Post and Essence Magazine. Currently, Tonya is a tenured Associate Professor at CUNY’s Medgar Evers College in Brooklyn, NY. She has spoken internationally about integrating diversity and inclusivity into healthcare, creativity, teaching, and leadership.

Keynote Topics

Compassionate Leadership

Using Illness and Trauma to Access Empowerment

Put empathy into action.

Using Illness and Trauma to Access Empowerment

Making vulnerability your superpower.

Putting Humanity Back Into Healthcare

Using Illness and Trauma to Access Empowerment

Putting Humanity Back Into Healthcare

Patient advocacy for transforming healthcare systems.

How Vulnerability Can Access Value

Using Play and Creativity for Collaborative Problem Solving

Putting Humanity Back Into Healthcare

Maximize your team's strength by decolonizing hierarchies in the workplace.

Using Play and Creativity for Collaborative Problem Solving

Finding compassionate communication in problem-solving.

Self-Healing in Toxic Workspaces

Using Play and Creativity for Collaborative Problem Solving

Claim peace through workplace boundaries.

Analyzing Stories for Transformative Impact

Access narrative power and create change through storytelling.

Features

Destigmatized: Visible And Invisible Disabilities And Neurodivergence

Balancing Business Needs With Workplace Accommodations: Becoming A Compassionate Leader

Watch

How to talk to your doctors—and get them to actually listen

Destigmatized: Visible And Invisible Disabilities And Neurodivergence

"How do you make yourself heard when you’ve been silenced, ignored, or had your concerns diminished?"

Read

Testimonials

THE PERFECT BLEND

NURTURES TO TRANSFORM

“Tonya’s presentation style is engaging, supportive, and candid. As a motivational speaker, she works to further the group’s understanding and awareness. Our attendees found the presentation to be a great blend of thought-provoking and enjoyable. Leading up to her presentation, Tonya was responsive and a pleasure to work with.”

—VICTORIA BENYO, DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS CAMP, NEJEDA FOUNDATION INC.

NURTURES TO TRANSFORM

“Generative creativity, radical inclusivity, holistic inquiry: these are the hallmarks of Tonya C. Hegamin’s practice. Collaborating with her as a writing coach opened new corridors of thought within my writing and worldview. Tonya’s insight and guidance transformed my pedagogy and praxis, helping me nurture my creative attunement for my students along the way.”

—MARGOT DOUAIHY, PHD, CO-EDITOR OF CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS ELEMENTS IN CRIME

Reliable Mentor

NURTURES TO TRANSFORM

Reliable Mentor

"Without a doubt, Tonya is one of my role models and mentors. She has honestly and openly shared her expertise. There is no doubt in my mind and spirit that I could have completed my first historical fiction novel without Tonya's professional writing coach support. Her humor, brilliance, and compassion are three outstanding components to how she creates safe spaces for everyone she works with."

—Natasha Gordon-Chipembere, PhD

Welcome

Coaching You to Success

About Tonya

Artist, Author, and Advocate

Keynote Topics

Compassionate Leadership

Using Illness and Trauma to Access Empowerment

Using Illness and Trauma to Access Empowerment

Using Illness and Trauma to Access Empowerment

Using Illness and Trauma to Access Empowerment

Using Illness and Trauma to Access Empowerment

Putting Humanity Back Into Healthcare

Using Illness and Trauma to Access Empowerment

Putting Humanity Back Into Healthcare

How Vulnerability Can Access Value

Using Play and Creativity for Collaborative Problem Solving

Putting Humanity Back Into Healthcare

Using Play and Creativity for Collaborative Problem Solving

Using Play and Creativity for Collaborative Problem Solving

Using Play and Creativity for Collaborative Problem Solving

Self-Healing in Toxic Workspaces

Using Play and Creativity for Collaborative Problem Solving

Using Play and Creativity for Collaborative Problem Solving

Analyzing Stories for Transformative Impact

Analyzing Stories for Transformative Impact

Analyzing Stories for Transformative Impact

Subscribe

As Seen In

Features

Destigmatized: Visible And Invisible Disabilities And Neurodivergence

Destigmatized: Visible And Invisible Disabilities And Neurodivergence

Destigmatized: Visible And Invisible Disabilities And Neurodivergence

How to talk to your doctors—and get them to actually listen

Destigmatized: Visible And Invisible Disabilities And Neurodivergence

Destigmatized: Visible And Invisible Disabilities And Neurodivergence

Testimonials

THE PERFECT BLEND

NURTURES TO TRANSFORM

NURTURES TO TRANSFORM

NURTURES TO TRANSFORM

NURTURES TO TRANSFORM

NURTURES TO TRANSFORM

Reliable Mentor

NURTURES TO TRANSFORM

Reliable Mentor

Society6

Writing Coaching

Artworks

This website uses cookies.