Mississippi Nurses Association

Accomplished nurse leader, policy fellow, and longtime MNA servant returns to lead the association into its next chapter.

The Mississippi Nurses Association (MNA) is proud to announce the appointment of Tonya Moore, PhD, RN, as its new Executive Director. Dr. Moore brings more than 30 years of distinguished healthcare leadership to the role, along with a deep personal investment in the association she has served at every level of governance.

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Dr. Moore recently completed a prestigious 2024–2025 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Policy Fellowship at the National Academies of Medicine in Washington, D.C. During her placement in the Office of Congressman Bennie G. Thompson, she supported federal policy efforts to expand access to care, address rural hospital closures, and strengthen the nursing workforce. 

“MNA helped shape my professional identity, and I am honored to return to lead the work that matters most — advancing our profession, advocating for Mississippi’s Registered Nurses and Advanced Practice Registered Nurses, and expanding the association’s reach and impact across every corner of our state.”

— Dr. Tonya Moore

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Dr. Moore’s service within MNA spans decades and nearly every leadership role the association offers — including President, Vice President, Secretary, District 13 President, Delegate, and Chair of the MNA Developing Nurse Leader Program. That deep institutional knowledge, combined with her executive and policy experience, positions her uniquely to lead MNA at this pivotal moment.

DR. MOORE’S LEADERSHIP PRIORITIES FOR MNA:

• Grow member engagement, value, and community across all districts
• Modernize operations, communications, and digital infrastructure
• Improve financial performance through disciplined management and new revenue opportunities
• Elevate MNA’s influence in nursing education and health policy statewide
• Expand workforce development and pipeline programs for the next generation of Mississippi nurses

Dr. Moore holds a PhD in Nursing Research from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, a BSN and Master of Science in Nursing (Health Systems Executive) from the University of Mississippi Medical Center, and an Associate of Science in Nursing from Alcorn State University.

Her accomplishments have earned her national and statewide recognition, including the UAB Visionary Leader Award, Modern Healthcare’s “Up and Comer” designation, the Myrlie Evers-Williams Minority Health Leader Award, and recognition among Mississippi’s Top 40 Under 40.

Dr. Moore’s commitment to service is shaped by her family’s legacy-her grandfather, the late Honorable James Charles Evers, made history in 1969 as the first elected African American mayor of a biracial town in Mississippi since Reconstruction. Her mother, a retired licensed practical nurse, has been a role model and constant presence in her professional journey.

Among her greatest personal achievement, Dr. Moore proudly celebrates her son’s service as Lieutenant in the United States Navy, and graduate of the United States Naval Academy. 

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“On behalf of the Mississippi Nurses’ Association, I am pleased to welcome Dr. Moore. We are confident that her leadership and vision will strengthen our mission to empower, educate, and support registered and advanced practice registered nurses across Mississippi. We look forward to the positive impact she will have on our organization and the communities we serve.”

–MNA President, Alena Groves