Tonya Elmore is founder, president & CEO of STAR-TEC Enterprises, Inc.  a not-for-profit corporation that specializes in working with innovators and entrepreneurs.   Under Tonya’s leadership the Tampa Bay Innovation Center was established to house and provide programming for startups  The Innovation Center, an incubator for early stage technology firms, is a regional, national and international known success story that has been in operation for 17 years that continues to build momentum in Pinellas County, Florida. Twice the Innovation Center has been awarded winner of the Tampa Bay Technology Forum’s Professional Services Company of the Year. It has also been recognized by Entrepreneur.com among the top 10 roundup of international business incubators.

Tonya holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Management from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville and an executive MBA from the University of South Florida. In 2007, Tonya was among the first graduating class to receive a professional designation as a “certified incubator manager” from the National Business Incubator Association. She is a certified coach/facilitator for the Wendy Kennedy “so what, who cares, why you?”,  Kauffman Fast Trac Tech Venture and CO.STARTERS programs.

Ms. Elmore has served as a vice-chair for the Florida Business Incubator Association. She has been named as among the top twenty technology leaders in the Tampa Bay region. Tonya has participated in numerous media appearances and interviews, including Fox 13 Good Day Tampa Bay as an expert on entrepreneurship and early growth strategies.

Tonya serves on the Operating Council of the St. Petersburg Innovation District, the Advisory Board for the Suncoast Developers Guild , Synapse board member and as a mentor for the Equity in Entrepreneurship program.  She was most recently recognized by Florida Trend as “One of the People to Know in St. Petersburg” and by the Tampa Bay Business Journal as “One of 25 People to Watch in 2020”.  Elmore previously held a Top Secret Security clearance while working on Defense Contracts.