She earned her law degree from the University of Miami School of Law where she graduated with cum laude honors; she earned her Bachelor of Arts in communications and public relations from the University of Washington. In her 13 years of experience as a lawyer, Toya has served as the Director of Policy and Legal Services at the South Carolina School Boards Association and as a Board Member and Chair of the Charleston County School District Board of Trustees. She is an active member of the South Carolina Women Lawyers Association.