Dr. Tonya Little serves as Associate Vice Chancellor of Academic Programs at the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, where she continues a lifelong commitment to expanding STEM opportunities for diverse and underserved students in rural communities across North Carolina. A transformational educational leader, Dr. Little is recognized for creating innovative STEM ecosystems that connect rigorous academics, community partnerships, and real-world problem solving.
Dr. Little believes that Lonnie Johnson, NASA engineer and inventor of the “Super Soaker” has a quote that best describes her passion for STEM ecosystems, “For me, it’s almost magical being able to come up with ideas and then have them materialize.”
Among her proudest accomplishments was leading Riverside Middle School to earn STEM identification from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. During her leadership, the school culture was transformed through cross-grade-level teacher collaboration, strategic use of data walls and data analysis to drive student achievement, and the creation of award-winning robotics programs, science research groups, and integrated agricultural STEM initiatives. She introduced 4-H as a school-integrated club and developed a 12-bed school garden that partnered with local mom-and-pop restaurants and a fine-dining establishment to connect students with entrepreneurship, sustainability, and community engagement.
Dr. Little also championed authentic student research experiences. Under her guidance, middle school students conducted research on sugar and caffeine addiction using flatworms in collaboration with a Temple University researcher. Their work earned an invitation to present at the annual National Science Foundation conference in Washington, D.C.
In 2017, Dr. Little returned home to Elizabeth City, North Carolina, to help lay the foundation for the STEM identity of Northeast Academy for Aerospace and Advanced Technologies, a regional public charter school. There, she helped establish the robotics program, community internship initiatives, and interdisciplinary STEM curriculum designed to prepare students for college, careers, and regional workforce opportunities.
Her STEM leadership journey ultimately brought her full circle back to her high school alma mater, the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, where she now serves on the Morganton campus as Associate Vice Chancellor/Associate Provost, continuing her mission to inspire innovation, access, and excellence in STEM education throughout North Carolina.
Dr. Little is a mother of three and a grandmother of two. You can find her most weekends working in her garden with her Great Pyrenees, Mufasa.