Born in France, moved to Algeria in 1963 then Tonia obtained a Doctorate of Public Health in the USA. Her work in this area has enabled her to practice and live throughout Africa, in countries as diverse as Mali, Zambia, Senegal, Cote d`Ivoire, Rwanda, Mauritania and others.

She took advantage of these stays to collect beads from Africa and to document their uses by traditional healers and some animist priests. Now retired, Tonia devotes herself to her passion, the beads of Africa.

Tonia has two hats, she documents the functions of beads (see more below) and she designs necklaces (see the other sections on this site).