Pittsburgh native Tonya, (pictured here posing with Jason Hawes at Univ-Con 5) didn't start life as a believer, but personal experience with "suspicious activity" eventually led to her ongoing fascination with the paranormal. Originally involved in The Center for Paranormal Study and Investigation, Tonya moved on to found her own group, the Greater Pittsburgh Paranormal Society. Together with co-founder Nancy Drexler, Tonya and her team conduct investigations in the greater Pittsburgh area and beyond.

A proud member of the growing TAPS family, the GPPS advocates the skeptical approach to ghostly phenomenon. They do not engage in any methods, such as dowsing or ouija boards, that they feel do not provide "scientifically viable evidence." Although they respect psychics and their ability to sense the otherworldly, the GPPS team itself does not employ psychics in investigations largely because they are seeking physical evidence of the paranormal. Their skepticism extends also to photographic or videographic "proof" of spirits. On their site, they offer a brief guide to false positives to help beginning ghost-hunters navigate the tricky world of ghostly evidence.

One of the most interesting portions of their website is their investigations section, where they share not only compelling photography and EVP captured during their many ghost-hunts, but they also share full case files on each investigation. Not all investigations end in a ghostly diagnosis. The GPPS looks for logical real-world causes of disturbances first, as with the instance of a suspected haunting in McKeesport, PA where the home owners reported strange knocks and banging noises in their attic. Rather than the ghost of some deceased prior resident, however, the disturbance turned out to be caused by nothing more than loose shingles banging against the chimney.