Katoya Palmer

Katoya Palmer, a dedicated community advocate and activist, founded ToyBox Consulting
in 2008 to combat systemic racism and promote social justice. Starting as an Account
Executive at Household Finance in 2001, she transformed ToyBox into a leading consulting
firm for minority-led non-profits and small businesses in various industries. In 2020, ToyBox
Consulting and Management, LLC emerged, offering operations consulting, virtual
workplace management, and strategic planning.
Despite facing adversity, including dropping out of Arizona State University due to trauma,
Katoya turned ToyBox into a thriving business, symbolizing her brilliance as a Black woman
leader. She earned her B.S. in Marketing Management from Western Governors University
while working as a math tutor and holding leadership roles in the PTSA.
With extensive experience at the YMCA, Katoya is a change agent, diversity instructor, and
drowning prevention advocate. She left the YMCA in 2021 to focus on ToyBox.
Katoya's dedication extends to coaching high school sports and serving on boards
promoting aquatics accessibility, education equity, and anti-gun violence eOorts. In 2022,
she became the COO at Community Passageways and Vice President of the Board of
Directors at The Sophia Way, leveraging her 30 years of youth development experience to
advocate for criminal justice, education, and housing reform