Makya Renée Taylor Pryor was born in Fort Huachuca, Arizona on March 18, 1982. As an Army Brat and the youngest of four children born to Arnet J. and Mary N. Whorley, Makya became very outgoing and easily adaptive to change. Although Berlin, Germany was her favorite place to live, after five years in Maryland and four in Virginia, she considered the DC Metro Area to be her home.

Growing up, Makya was very academically competitive. Upon her family moving to Virginia, she was accepted to Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, Governor's School of Virginia (TJHSST). During the summers, she began working for Star Logistics, Inc. where she developed an interest in graphic design. However, in the fall of her junior year in high school, Makya was offered a full academic scholarship to Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) to major in Architecture.

During college, Makya became a Presidential Ambassador; a University representative and recruiter. At the end of her first year, she decided to change her major from Architecture to Graphic Design while continuing to minor in Computer Information Systems (CIS). In the spring of 2002, Makya became a member in the Tallahassee Urban League. On March 30, 2002, Makya was initiated into the Sesheit Chapter of Alpha Rho Chi (APX) Professional Fraternity, Inc. During the summer of 2003, she was one of twenty-one interns to participate in the FBI’s first minority internship program; the FBI/NAFEO Honors Internship Program.

Makya began her career upon graduating from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University with a Bachelor of Science in Graphic Design, Summa Cum Laude in the Summer of 2004. In the Spring of 2005, Makya was initiated into Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated and established her own company—Mareta Creations. Currently, she resides in Waldorf, Maryland with her husband, Jeremy, and their son, Xavier. Grateful for all of these many blessings, throughout all of her stress and success, Makya will continue to keep the Lord with her through all of her life's endeavors.