Tonya Lewis Lee | |
|---|---|
| Born | Tonya Linnette Lewis (1966-03-30)March 30, 1966 (age 59) |
| Alma mater | Sarah Lawrence College (BA) University of Virginia School of Law (JD) |
| Occupation(s) | Attorney, filmmaker, author |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
| Parent(s) | Lillian Glenn George Lewis |
Tonya Linnette Lee (néeLewis; March 30, 1966) is an American film and television producer, author, entrepreneur, and advocate for women and infant health. She founded her production company, Madstone Company Inc., in 1998,[1] and has been involved in media for children, through her work withNickelodeon and her authorship of children's books.[2]
Lewis Lee was born inYonkers, New York, to Lillian Charlotte (née Glenn) and George Ralph Lewis. Her father held a corporate executive position atPhilip Morris.[3] She graduated fromSarah Lawrence College with a BA and theUniversity of Virginia School of Law with a JD. After practicing law at Nixon, Hargrave, Devans & Doyle LLP inWashington, D.C. for nearly two years, she returned to New York and marriedSpike Lee in 1993. They have two children.[4]
Lewis Lee has been producing content for television and film for nearly 20 years. She began her career producing interstitial programming for Nickelodeon. She went on to produce larger projects for them, ultimately producing the miniseriesMiracle’s Boys for the network along with the documentary,I Sit Where I Want, commemorating the 50th anniversary of theBrown v. Board of Education decision.[5]
In 2014, Lewis Lee co-founded the production company ToniK Productions withNikki Silver.[6] Since its founding, ToniK has produced several projects includingThe Watsons Go To Birmingham,[7] which Lewis Lee wrote,The Giver,She's Gotta Have It andMONSTER.[8]
Lewis Lee is the author of three children's books,Please Baby Please,Please Puppy Please,[9] andGiant Steps to Change the World.[10] She is also the co-author of the New York Times bestsellingGotham Diaries[11] and the writer of the scriptThe Watsons Go to Birmingham.[12]
Lewis Lee also served as the spokesperson for A Healthy Baby Begins With You[13] an infant mortality awareness raising campaign out of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health from 2007 to 2013. Through the campaign she traveled the US speaking on issues of women's health for the sake of their unborn children. She also produced the documentary film Crisis in the Crib: Saving Our Nation's Babies.[14] Her work with this campaign inspired her to found Healthy You Now,[15] a web platform for women's health.
In 2015, she founded Movita, an organic vitamin company that is sold through e-commerce.[13]