Yonka Clark's quiet influence behind Ryan Clark's wildly busy schedule
Yonka didn’t deserve what happened to her this week. She’s a beautiful woman who’s devoted her life to our family. She's never wanted to be out front; she's been the backbone of support.
In the statement, Ryan defended his wife Yonka amid online scrutiny following his public disagreement with Robert Griffin III. Yonka Clark is a certified credit agent, financial literacy advocate, and Louisiana civil law notary.
Source: Twitter
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Yonka Clark is the wife of ESPN analyst Ryan Clark, whom she married in 2004.
- The couple first met in 1997 at a high school graduation picnic, initially disliking each other, before their relationship developed while attending Louisiana State University (LSU).
- She is a Louisiana civil law notary, credit agent and a financial literacy advocate.
- Yonka and Ryan Clark have three children together: two daughters, Jaden and Loghan and a son, Jordan Clark.
Profile summary
Full name | Yonka Triche Clark |
Common name | Yonka Clark |
Gender | Female |
Date of birth | August 1980 |
Age | 45 years old as of 2025 |
Place of birth | Ama, Louisiana, United States |
Current residence | Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States |
Nationality | American |
Ethnicity | Black |
Religion | Christian |
Height in centimetres | 168 |
Height in feet | 5'6" |
Weight in kilograms | 65 |
Weight in pounds | 143 |
Hair colour | Black |
Eye colour | Brown |
Marital status | Married |
Partner | Ryan Terry Clark |
Children | 3 |
Higher education | Louisiana State University, Southern New Hampshire University, The Chicago School of Professional Psychology |
Profession | Certified credit agent, financial literacy advocate, Louisiana civil law notary |
A look at Yonka Clark's life behind the spotlight
Yonka Clark hails from the small town of Ama, Louisiana, in the United States of America. In an interview with WAGS Redefined, she remarked on the town's size, noting that it was so small it does not even have a traffic light.
I am from a really tiny town called Ama, Louisiana. It is so small that we do not even have a traffic light. It's funny because the Landry brothers (Dawan and LaRon Landry), who both play in the NFL, and Pokie Chatman (WNBA head coach) are from the same town. We are all related in some way.
Unlike her husband, Ryan Clark, whose personal and professional life as an American sports journalist has been widely publicised, little is known about Yonka Clark's childhood and upbringing.
Source: Original
Yonka Clark's background
Yonka's exact age has not been publicly disclosed. However, she is approximately 45 years old as of 2025, based on her 40th birthday brunch and birthday messages shared in August 2020.
The birthday celebration organised by her husband, Ryan Clark, and Flare Event Design provided a rare inside look at her life. The unique birthday party brunch included family and friends in attendance in person and via Zoom to keep in line with COVID-19 social distancing rules.
Yonka attended Louisiana State University (LSU), the same state university as her husband, Ryan Clark. She later joined Southern New Hampshire University, where she completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology. She also holds a Master of Arts (M.A.) in Clinical Mental Health Counselling from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology.
In addition to working as a credit agent and a financial literacy advocate, helping individuals restore their credit scores and make better financial decisions, Yonka is a Louisiana civil law notary. She was sworn in on 25 July 2017 in East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana.
Marriage to Ryan Clark and family life
Source: Instagram
Ryan and Yonka initially met in 1997 during her cousin's graduation picnic at Archbishop Shaw High School. At the time, Ryan was friends with Yonka's cousin, Haven. She noted that their initial feelings were anything but loving in her interview with WAGS Redefined.
We knew of each other, and when we first met, we did not like each other. I just felt like he was this arrogant football player, and all the girls were falling all over him; I was not interested. He thought I was the snootiest, meanest girl he'd ever met.
Yonka and the former LSU defensive back tied the knot on 9 July 2004, about seven years after their initial meeting. In her conversation with WAGS Redefined, she noted that attending a large university with a familiar face softened how they viewed each other.
We both attended college at LSU, but Ryan was a year older than me. LSU is huge, so seeing a familiar face as a freshman in college was comforting…it changed the way we perceived one another.
Meet Yonka and Ryan Clark's children
Source: Instagram
The couple has three children: Jaden Clark, Jordan Clark, and Loghan Clark. During a recent discussion on the We Playin' Spades podcast, Ryan Clark revealed that he had a vasectomy after welcoming his third child with his wife, Yonka Clark. Clark admitted that he initially wanted a fourth child, but Yonka had a different perspective.
I wanted number four. My wife told me she did not want number four, and I had to respect that. She was like, 'I had these babies, so you're going to help us stop having these babies.' And that was a decision.
1. Jaden Clark
Source: Instagram
Jaden is Ryan Clark's firstborn daughter from a previous relationship. She is an LSU and University of San Francisco alumna and recently graduated from the latter with an MAPC (MA. Professional Communication) in December 2023. Between 2017 and 2021, she completed her Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Media Studies with a minor in African and African American Studies at Louisiana State University.
She also hosts interviews on her YouTube channel, The Need to Know Miniterviews, featuring guests such as American track athlete Demitra Carter and Kentucky Wildcats alum EJ Floreal Jr.
As per her LinkedIn profile, she is a social media consultant for Astronomers for Planet Earth. She has also worked with her father on the Face First podcast with Ryan Clark. Others include the Koret Foundation, Social Factor, and the USF Sport Management Master's Program, among others.
2. Jordan Clark
Source: Instagram
Like his father, Jordan was a varsity player, a collegiate player, and is now an NFL player. He played for the University Lab (U-Lab) Varsity football team and Arizona State. He joined the University Laboratory School in 2017 and graduated in 2019.
In the same year, he joined Arizona State University, where he played for the Sun Devils. In the 2024/2025 academic year, he played for Notre Dame. According to his Sun Devils' record, he played 56 matches between 2019 and 2025, completing 130 solo tackles out of 176.
At the time of this writing, he is a member of the New York Jets roster, having signed with the team in December 2025
3. Loghan Clark
Source: Instagram
Loghan Clark attended Parkview Baptist High School, where she played on the girls' varsity volleyball team. She is a young entrepreneur behind the Frosting Room BR, a baking house in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Clark graduated from the Louisiana Culinary Institute with an AOS in Culinary Arts and ABP and multiple certifications, such as ServSafe and Nutrition.
FAQs
- Who is Yonka Clark? Yonka Clark is an American civil law notary, certified credit agent, and financial literacy advocate.
- Is Yonka Clark Black? She is an African-American individual.
- What is Yonka Clark known for? The former NFL WAG is primarily known for being the wife of NFL analyst Ryan Clark.
- When is Yonka Clark's birthday? Yonka Clark's exact date of birth has not been publicly disclosed, but her birthday is celebrated in August.
- When did Ryan Clark and Yonka Clark get married? Ryan and Yonka Clark got married on 9 July 2004.
- How many children does Yonka Clark have? Yonka has three children with her husband, Ryan Clark: Jaden, Jordan, and Loghan Clark.
Originating from the small town of Ama, Louisiana, Yonka Clark built a solid family foundation, raising three children and maintaining a private life outside the intense sports spotlight. Through her work as a certified credit agent, financial literacy advocate, and Louisiana civil law notary, she offers supportive roles for managing financial issues.
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Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
