Tonya Shellnutt has been named the State Director for Concerned Women for America of South Carolina. Concerned Women for America is the nation’s largest public policy women’s organization with over 500,000 members nationwide and over 2,600 members in South Carolina. Tonya became connected to CWA through a book she wrote, Woman Power Revolution. It is about feminism from a conservative viewpoint and her personal story that brought her there. CWA has since endorsed her book. As a volunteer for CWA, Tonya will travel the state meeting with many different groups and citizens educating them on CWA’s seven core issues; Family, Sanctity of Human Life, Education, Sexual Exploitation, Religious Liberty, National Sovereignty, and Support for Israel. Furthermore, she plans to frequently meet with legislators and travel to the capital to testify on behalf of proposed legislation. Tonya will work effortlessly to establish CWA Prayer/Action Chapters across the state. She has a goal to have one in every county in South Carolina!
Tonya and her husband, Rich, have five kids, Makenzie 19, Ashton 16, Isabel 14, Fischer 10, and Holden 8. Tonya was born and raised in Montana, but met Rich in Montana and moved their family to Charlotte, North Carolina in 1997, where two of their five children were born. They moved back to Montana in 2001 and lived there until their recent move to South Carolina. Rich grew up in the South and is a navy veteran. His mother was an English professor at the University of South Carolina before moving the family to the DC area. His mother has since moved to Rock Hill, South Carolina while his two brothers live in Charleston and own businesses in both North and South Carolina. His twin sister also works for the family business and resides in the Charlotte area. With Rich and Tonya’s oldest daughter, Makenzie, heading south to the University of North Greenville, in Greenville, South Carolina, to play softball and attend college, they quickly realized that all of their children were talking about going south. Their children’s only grandparent is Rich’s mom, so they felt that they needed to be closer to her and the rest of the family. They have owned and operated their own flooring installation business for the last 16 years and felt as if a time for change was in order. Rich recently got a job in the Carolina area as a project manager for a flooring installation company, so it was a perfect fit.
They are extremely passionate about strengthening families and battling the cultural war being waged against traditional families values. Tonya also works with women who are “at risk” or in crisis situations. Tonya is an outdoor enthusiast and her competitive side LOVES watching her kids’ sporting events. Tonya’s authentic approach to life allows her to connect with all types of people and to inspire them to live victoriously and be all that they were meant to be!
As a mother of five children, Tonya knows it is so important to work to protect family values and advocate for the sanctity of life. Families are the backbone of our communities, our state, and our country. When we strengthen families, we strengthen communities.
It is our time to make a difference and be the voice for South Carolina that speaks of hope, meaningful legacies, and intentionality. Our future generations are counting on us to be the light in the darkness. Therefore, I look forward as we band together in South Carolina and across the nation to be the conservative voice that doesn’t waver, compromise, or succumb to apathy. Together, our voice will be one of courage and purpose.