La'Tonya (or "LT") received her Ph.D. in English from UCLA, where she specialized in cultural studies and multi-ethnic literature. Her research interests include post Civil Rights culture; how sport and sporting institutions shape race and gender identity; and the hidden curriculum in higher education.

As the Director of the UCLA McNair Research Scholars Program and AAP Mentoring Programs, La'Tonya serves as an advocate for undergraduate research. Her programs also include the AAP Research Fellows Program, ArtsIN, Educators For Tomorrow and the Community Development and Social Justice Program. She regularly teaches courses for the Honors Program and the Department of World Arts and Culture and enjoys collaborating with students on teaching and research projects. She is the first person in her family to attend a four-year university and feels strongly connected to students with similar backgrounds.

La'Tonya, her husband Robert, and their children, Zoe (7) and Jabari (11), love watching and playing sports, watching reality television shows, visiting museums, hosting house parties and trying new things.