My Story

My Story

Hi I'm Tonya!


I'm a former college basketball player who burned out physically, mentally, and emotionally after injuries and health conditions changed the course of my life. Trying to understand what was happening to my body is what led me to functional medicine.


What I discovered is that burnout isn’t just personal; it’s systemic. Too many women struggle with their health because the world was built around men, not us. As women with XX chromosomes, we were never the default in medicine and that has consequences.

The Optimal Female®️ logo representing women’s health, hormone, education, and wellness resources.

My own family’s journey makes this deeply personal — my mom is navigating menopause without clear answers, and we carry a family history of dementia and breast cancer.


On top of that, I was recently diagnosed with PCOS, and many of my closest friends struggle with endometriosis.


I look at the most important women in my life, and I see the same struggles repeated — suffering from the lack of medical research and the cultural shame that still surrounds our health.

Mother and daughter, touching foreheads, symbolizing connection, care, and women’s health support
A diverse group of women, smiling together, representing community and shared women’s health experiences.
A diverse group of women, smiling together, representing community and shared women’s health experiences.
Mother and daughter, touching forehead, symbolizing connection, care, and women’s health support.
Mother and daughter, touching forehead, symbolizing connection, care, and women’s health support.

My own family’s journey makes this deeply personal — my mom is navigating menopause without clear answers, and we carry a family history of dementia and breast cancer.


On top of that, I was recently diagnosed with PCOS, and many of my closest friends struggle with endometriosis.


I look at the most important women in my life, and I see the same struggles repeated — suffering from the lack of medical research and the cultural shame that still surrounds our health.

These experiences are the fire behind my mission to support women’s health through functional medicine. When we understand our hormonal rhythms, everything about our health becomes easier to navigate.


Here at The Optimal Female, I share the most credible, science‑backed information and amplify women who are leading the way.


Most of all, I share the knowledge I wish I had when I was younger — the knowledge my mom and every woman deserves to know.

A diverse group of women, smiling together, representing community and shared women’s health experiences.
A diverse group of women, smiling together, representing community and shared women’s health experiences.
A diverse group of women, smiling together, representing community and shared women’s health experiences.