Tonita is Verity’s first Black female CEO, and one of few Black female executives in the industry. She harnesses the power of tools, data and technology to drive decision-making that ensures financial prosperity for all, especially underserved members of the community. Her passion for diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging is at the heart of her work moving Verity forward in socially responsible banking to create vibrant communities.
Prior to joining Verity, Tonita spent 15 years at Seattle Credit Union (SCU), where she served as both Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer, and formerly, the Senior Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer. Before SCU, Tonita worked in various executive human resources roles in the Seattle area.
Tonita was raised by her single mother in low-income housing projects in Virginia. That experience has sharpened the sense of compassion and empathy she brings to her leadership style. In addition, Webb says her mother's work ethic inspired her to go the extra mile in serving her employer and its employees, our country, the credit union members, and the community overall.
“I believe to be a good leader requires listening and empathy. Being an active listener allows me to lead with impact and enables me to learn in the process. I don’t have to know everything. I just need to be able to listen to the needs of my team and our members and put myself in their shoes with a deep openness. This is empathy. Embodying these traits creates the space and conditions for meaningful change.”
As an Air Force veteran, an MBA holder, and mother of four, Tonita leads by example and gives herself freely to her community work. She currently serves on boards for non-profits like Southeast Effective Development (SEED) and 21 Progress, as well as social enterprises like Pioneer Human Services. She is a champion of diversity and inclusion and a frequent public speaker on the subject.
Tonita is a Puget Sound Business Journal Woman of Influence and an American Heart Association Woman of Impact nominee. She has also been featured on numerous podcasts including Seattle Seahawks Coach, Pete Carroll and Audrey Casenecia’s leadership podcast on “Generational Wealth in Leadership,” Unlikely, See It to Be It on “Changing the System from Within”, and Leading with Empathy & Allyship on “Strategies for Supporting Black Leadership in the Workplace.”