Meet Tonya
Restoring Accountability. Strengthening Community. Raising the Bar.
Tonya Stadlman has been married to her husband, Jason, for over 13 years, is a mother of three grown children, and is a community leader who has spent her life working alongside people navigating real challenges, including housing instability, financial hardship, and life transitions.
She is running for State Representative in Washington’s 44th Legislative District to bring accountable, results-driven leadership to Olympia, grounded in real-world experience, strong values, and a commitment to serve.
Tonya has not only seen the impact of rising costs and growing public safety concerns, but she has also lived it alongside her family and community.
As a mother, with two children now living independently and working full-time, and her youngest just starting college, she understands the frustration of a generation doing everything right, working hard, saving, and still struggling to afford a home or build a stable future. For many Washingtonians, the dream of homeownership and financial security feels increasingly out of reach.
At the same time, communities feel less safe, and too many voices go unheard.
Tonya believes Washington can do better.
She is running to restore accountability, strengthen public safety, and create real pathways to opportunity, ensuring that hard work leads somewhere, communities are protected, and the voices of Washingtonians are heard, not voided.
“When doing everything right still isn’t enough, something in the system needs to change.”
Professional Experience
With over 30 years in the multifamily housing industry, Tonya has worked across both conventional and tax-credit (affordable housing) communities, giving her firsthand insight into Washington’s housing challenges.
She has helped individuals and families:
- Navigate housing instability
- Overcome financial hardship
- Rebuild stability and independence
Through this work, Tonya has seen where systems succeed—and where they fall short, especially when support lacks a clear pathway forward.
Her career has placed her on the front lines of some of the most pressing issues facing Washington communities, including housing affordability, homelessness, addiction, and economic instability.
“Help without a pathway isn’t help. It’s abandoning people inside the system.”
Education & Wellness Perspective
Tonya has pursued higher education in holistic health and mental well-being at Maharishi International University and is a certified yoga and wellness coach. She brings a grounded, balanced approach to leadership, focused on resilience, clarity, and long-term well-being.
She believes meaningful, lasting change happens when people are equipped with both the tools and the accountability needed to move forward.
This work has strengthened her ability to lead, communicate, and connect, and continues to shape her approach to service and leadership. These principles are not theoretical; they are tools she has used personally and professionally to support others and create lasting change.
Community Leadership & Giving Back
Service has always been a central part of Tonya's life.
Throughout her 30-year career in multifamily housing, she has worked to build strong communities from the inside out by organizing toy drives, back-to-school supply drives, and food bank donation programs at the properties she has managed.
She actively supports St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, fundraising for its charitable walk and serving on the planning committee to expand its local impact.
At the local level, Tonya serves as a Precinct Committee Officer (PCO), engaging her community, encouraging civic participation, and helping neighbors stay informed and empowered.
She also helps organize her community's National Night Out Against Crime, bringing residents, families, and local law enforcement together to strengthen relationships and promote safer neighborhoods.
Through these efforts, Tonya demonstrates a consistent commitment to service, connection, and building strong communities.
Faith. Family. Foundation.
Tonya’s life and leadership are grounded in her faith, her family, and a deep belief in the importance of community.
Her Christian values shape her approach to both personal responsibility and public service, emphasizing compassion, integrity, service to others, and strong moral leadership.
She believes thriving communities are built when people take care of one another, uphold shared values, and work together toward something greater than themselves.