Toni Williams
VP, Finance
As Vice President of Finance, Tutonial ‘Toni’ Williams leads and supports the vision and strategy for TNTP’s financial health, sustainability, and growth as it advances toward its north star of social and economic mobility. She ensures the organization has the infrastructure, systems, and processes that enable TNTP to sustainably manage finance to support student impact while working across divisions to add value, expertise, and support to the entire organization.
With over 18 years of experience in Finance and 10 years in the public education sector, Toni brings a strong background in financial planning and analysis, accounting, auditing, internal controls, process improvements, and school district leadership.
Prior to joining TNTP, Toni served as Interim Superintendent and Chief Financial Officer for Memphis-Shelby County Schools, the largest public school district in Tennessee, where she balanced and managed the district’s historically largest budget of over $2.2 billion, including federal COVID-19 relief funds. Under her leadership, the district received clean external audits, maintained strong working relationships with external auditors, improved fiscal health, increased fund balance, and also received numerous recognitions such as the Tennessee Department of Education “Best for All-District,” U.S. Department of Education “ARP Star” for its stewardship of funds from the American Rescue Plan, a Council of the Great City Schools model in its Urban Educator Newsletter for the District’s strategic ESSER investments, and Award of Excellence in 2024.
Toni previously served as CFO with Millington Municipal Schools, held financial positions with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and assisted with financial planning of their strategic capital plan and expansion, and held progressive leadership roles with Textron, the latest as corporate financial planning manager. Toni began her career as an auditor and expatriate associate with one of the Big 4 Accounting Firms, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. She earned master’s and bachelor’s degrees in accounting from Clark Atlanta University.
Toni believes in the power and promise of volunteerism and served as a New Memphis fellow, Leadership Memphis graduate, and Youth Villages mentor. She has been awarded the following awards for notable work: Power 100 Memphis Business Journal (2023 & 2024), 40 Under 40 Memphis Business Journal (2022), Honoree Chief Financial Officer of the Year, Memphis Business Journal (2020), Women Who Lead Award in Education (2023) and Trailblazer Women’s Award (2024).
Imali Ariyarathne, seventh-grade teacher at Langston Hughes Academy, introduces her students to the captivating world of science.
About TNTP
TNTP is the nation’s leading research, policy, and consulting organization dedicated to transforming America’s public education system, so that every generation thrives.
Today, we work side-by-side with educators, system leaders, and communities across 39 states and over 6,000 districts nationwide to reach ambitious goals for student success.
Yet the possibilities we imagine push far beyond the walls of school and the education field alone. We are catalyzing a movement across sectors to create multiple pathways for young people to achieve academic, economic, and social mobility.