Tonya Dunn has been a court reporter since 1999 and has been with Mike Mobley Reporting since December 2018. She is currently based in and works as a court reporter in Fort Wayne, IN, along with covering Northeast Indiana and Northwest Ohio.
From Tonya’s perspective:
What do you enjoy about court reporting? I really enjoy the technology of court reporting and finding new technology to help me be a better reporter. I also enjoy the fact that I have to push myself every day to be better. For me, it’s not a talent that I’m just good at and can stop learning and improving. I’m looking to improve my writing and speed every single day.
What’s one of the most interesting things you’ve encountered as a reporter? I find the people involved in cases – witnesses, lawyers, videographers, etc. – very interesting. We’re all so unique, yet we come together in a room to perform a function; and in most cases it’s a very smooth process. The participants of every deposition are unique, creating a unique dynamic for every event. That makes this career extremely interesting to me.
What other fields have you worked in? I started out working when I was 14 at an ophthalmologist’s office helping him conduct vision therapy classes. I’ve been a legal secretary, a bank loan auditor, and a purchasing supervisor and key accounts coordinator for a cake- and candy-making supply company.
Where did you grow up? I grew up in Hicksville, Ohio.
Where did you go to school (college level) and what did you study? I received my bachelor’s from Valparaiso University with a degree in political science and a minor in business. I then received my associate’s degree in court reporting from Clark State Community College.
What would you like to tell us about your family? My family is my everything. I’m the only child of two of the most wonderful parents a girl could ask for. In 2018, I got married for the first time and now have a wonderful husband and three beautiful stepdaughters.
What do you enjoy doing outside of your job? We spend a lot of time with family, fixing up our home, volunteering at church, and in the summer we spend our weekends at the lake. The lake is definitely my happy place.
Is there anything else you’d like us to know? I love elephants. One item on my bucket list is to someday see them in their natural habitat.