Toya Harrell-Matthews is a native of Clarksdale, Mississippi. She is the daughter of two former educators, Donell Harrell and the late Vera C. Harrell. Education has always been a priority for Dr. Matthews. She is a 1993 honor graduate of Clarksdale High School and completed her undergraduate studies in psychology from Tougaloo College in Tougaloo, MS in 1997. Additionally, she has earned a master’s degree in school counseling from Delta State University, an educational specialist degree and doctoral degree in educational leadership from Mississippi State University. She is an active, life member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, National Educators Association, Mississippi Association of Educators, and a member of Haven United Methodist Church. Presently, Matthews serves as an Assistant Superintendent for the Clarksdale Municipal School District. She has worked in the Clarksdale Municipal School District for 22 years. She is the proud parent of Taylor C. Matthews, an eighteen-year-old rising sophomore at Tougaloo College. Her life’s motto is: “Life is like a coin. You can spend it any way you want, but you can only spend it once. Spend wisely.”
