Tonja Simmons Lee

Dr. Tonja Simmons Lee is a counselor, educator, researcher, executive leader, and advocate whose life’s work has centered on advancing the well-being of women, children, families, and communities throughout Georgia. Her leadership bridges behavioral health, education, advocacy, and public policy, bringing together the voices of practitioners, educators, and communities to strengthen systems of care.

Dr. Lee serves as the Coordinator for School-Based Mental Health for Bibb County School District, where she provides strategic leadership for one of Georgia’s comprehensive school-based mental health initiatives. She partners with educators, healthcare providers, families, and community organizations to expand equitable access to behavioral health services while advancing trauma-informed practices that improve outcomes for children and adolescents.

A Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), National Certified Counselor (NCC), Certified Professional Counselor Supervisor (CPCS), and certified Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) clinician, Dr. Lee holds a Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision. Her professional expertise includes trauma-informed care, violence prevention, crisis response, grief and loss, educator wellness, organizational leadership, and systems change. She is particularly interested in how policy, relationships, and community partnerships influence the health and resilience of women and families.

Having served in K–12 education, higher education, community behavioral health, nonprofit leadership, and statewide professional advocacy, Dr. Lee brings a comprehensive understanding of the systems that shape the lives of Georgia’s women and families. During her tenure as Executive Director of Counseling and Student Support at Central Georgia Technical College, she was honored by the Georgia College Counseling Association as College Counseling Director of the Year and later received the Association’s Advocacy Award in recognition of her leadership and commitment to advancing student mental health and counseling across Georgia.

Statewide, Dr. Lee serves as President of the Licensed Professional Counselors Association of Georgia, representing thousands of professional counselors and leading efforts to strengthen behavioral health policy, elevate the counseling profession, and expand access to quality mental healthcare throughout the state. She also serves as Board Chair of NAMI Central Georgia and President of the Fort Valley Chapter of The Links, Incorporated, where she leads initiatives focused on mental health awareness, educational opportunity, health equity, and community engagement.

As the founder of Women Listening, LLC, Dr. Lee has developed an emerging body of work exploring listening as both a leadership practice and a catalyst for healing. Through counseling, consultation, coaching, writing, and public speaking, she encourages individuals and organizations to create spaces where people are heard, valued, and empowered to thrive. Her scholarship explores listening as a transformative force for individual well-being, organizational effectiveness, and community change.

As an Ambassador for the Georgia Commission on Women, Dr. Lee brings a collaborative, research-informed perspective grounded in decades of service to Georgia’s women, children, and families. She is committed to advancing women’s mental health, strengthening trauma-informed systems of care, improving maternal and family wellness, addressing human trafficking and interpersonal violence, and supporting policies that promote opportunity, dignity, and well-being for women across the state.