Tonya Rice is the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Advocacy and Engagement within the Office of Government and Community Relations. She is responsible for data-driven advocacy and cutting-edge technologies to increase support for the university’s positive statewide impacts, legislative agenda and other strategic priorities. Ms. Rice engages with students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends to empower WashU Advocates for mobilization around the university’s mission centered on innovative research, education and patient care. In addition to her university duties, Ms. Rice is a member of the Board of Directors for Democracy Works, a nonpartisan civic tech nonprofit.
Prior to her position at WashU, Ms. Rice led strategic engagements with state and local governments and nonprofit organizations at Amazon Web Services (AWS) on cybersecurity and artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML) enhancements for civic engagement and election administration. Previously, as Director of Elections for the Cook County Clerk in Chicago, IL, she managed voter outreach and education, data and technology modernization initiatives, cybersecurity assessments, and analysis of state and federal laws that impact elections.
Tonya Rice earned a Juris Doctor from Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law in Chicago, IL, and a Bachelor of Arts from Northwestern University in Evanston, IL.