Dr. Tonjua Williams will explore the profound impact of standing in the gap and helping others
On March 19, St. Petersburg College’s President Dr. Tonjua Williams will launch a new podcast — “Standing in the Gap” — featuring thought leaders who foster positive change in education and beyond.
As part of Women’s History Month, the show’s first guest is Dr. Kanika Tomalin, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Foundation for a Healthy St. Petersburg. Both Tomalin and Williams are driving forces in their fields and role models dedicated to the power of helping others.
The podcast offers individuals from diverse backgrounds — corporate executives, generous donors, impassioned students, dedicated faculty, and community leaders — the opportunity to come together and explore the profound impact of supporting others by standing in the gap. Listeners will dive into insightful conversations that will recognize those who offer a helping hand and inspire a collective commitment to fostering positive change in education and beyond.
“Many people in our community have opened doors for me and shown me things that I would have never had a chance to see, and they don’t all look like me,” Williams said. “So, for me, it’s past time for me to stand in the gap. I feel it is time for us to understand who the movers and shakers are in our community and who is helping us make transformative change.”
One of those individuals is Tomalin. The fifth generation of her family to call St. Petersburg home, she served as Deputy Mayor and City Administrator of the City of St. Petersburg for eight years. She currently guides the Foundation for a Healthy St. Petersburg as a steward of the community’s resources.
Williams also is a St. Petersburg native and has led the Titan community at SPC since 2017 as the seventh president of the College. She made history as SPC’s first woman and first African American president and has received numerous honors and awards throughout her almost 40 years in community college education. Learn more about the podcast and watch broadcasts at stpe.co/podcast.