Tonia Wellons is the President & CEO of the Greater Washington Community Foundation, the largest public foundation in the Metropolitan Washington DC region. Under her leadership, The Community Foundation launched a bold 10-year strategic vision to help close the region’s racial wealth gap by directing capital, strengthening civic and philanthropic infrastructure, and centering economic justice.

Tonia is a dynamic and values-driven leader known for her ability to navigate seamlessly between visionary leadership, strategy, and fundraising.  Since her tenure as CEO, The Community Foundation has grown from $331 million to $500 million in assets under management. Tonia has deep relationships across both grassroots and grass tops communities and is a trusted convener and coalition builder. Her leadership reflects a combination of on-the-ground insight and high-level influence, enabling The Community Foundation to respond with both urgency and intention to the region’s most pressing challenges and biggest opportunities. From instigating transformative initiatives like Guaranteed Basic Income pilots and Children’s Savings Accounts to guiding major fundraising campaigns that expand the Foundation’s impact, Tonia consistently brings vision, discipline, and heart to her work.

Accolades include Power 100 Washington 2025;  Washingtonian Magazine’s  “Hero of the Crisis,” and Washington Business Journal’s 2020 Nonprofit Leader of the Year. Tonia is a graduate of North Carolina A&T,  and a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.