Leading with Faith, Serving with Purpose, and Opening Doors for the Next Generation
True leadership isn’t measured by titles.
It’s measured by lives transformed, opportunities created, and the courage to serve when no one is watching.
For Akita Parmer, leadership has never been about recognition. It has always been about responsibility—a responsibility to advocate for children, strengthen communities, and create pathways that allow others to succeed long after she’s gone.
Whether serving as an elected member of the Rockdale County Board of Education, an Auditor III with the Georgia Department of Revenue, a retired corporate leader from AT&T, or an executive board member of the JJG STEaM Scholarship Foundation, Akita has remained grounded in one unwavering mission:Â helping people reach their fullest potential.
At the heart of everything she does is a simple belief:
Every child deserves the opportunity to dream boldly, discover their gifts, and build a future filled with possibility.
A Life Rooted in Service
Long before board meetings, leadership roles, and community recognition, Akita was simply a woman determined to make a difference.
She was balancing career demands while being fully present for her family—a devoted wife, mother, daughter, and aunt who understood that true success begins at home.
She volunteered tirelessly in her daughter’s schools, serving as Band Booster President, PTA member, class mom, chaperone, and advocate for students long before she ever considered public office. Her passion for giving back to the community has been recognized with multiple Presidential Volunteer Service Awards, signed by former President Barack Obama.
Those experiences gave her something no leadership position alone could provide: firsthand knowledge of the partnership required between families, educators, and communities to help children thrive.
What started with supporting one child eventually became a calling to support thousands.
Leadership Beyond the Title
Akita’s professional journey reflects decades of excellence in both corporate leadership and public service.
During her career at AT&T, she led teams, managed complex technical projects, and mentored future leaders. After retiring, she continued serving through state government while expanding her impact through education, scholarships, and community advocacy.
Her leadership extends into organizations committed to empowering others, including Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®, NewRock Top Ladies of Distinction, and the National Council of Negro Women.
Yet despite an impressive résumé, Akita believes leadership has never been about position.
“It’s about influence. It’s about creating solutions, opening doors, and advocating for people whose voices may not always be heard.”
Finding Courage Through Uncertainty
Every meaningful journey includes moments of uncertainty.
Akita knows this firsthand.
Like many women pursuing purpose, she questioned whether she was prepared enough, qualified enough, or ready enough to step into new opportunities.
During her first campaign for the Rockdale County Board of Education, the weight of self-doubt became so overwhelming that she found herself in tears during a phone call with a trusted spiritual mentor.
The advice she received changed everything:
Trust God.
Trust yourself.
Trust the work you’ve already done.
That conversation reminded her that courage isn’t the absence of fear—it is choosing to move forward despite it.
Today, when uncertainty appears, she no longer waits for confidence before taking action.
She leads anyway.
The Sacrifices Behind the Success
People often celebrate leadership without recognizing its cost.
Behind every accomplishment are the evenings spent away from family, the difficult decisions made in private, and the quiet moments of questioning whether every sacrifice is worth it.
Akita understands those sacrifices well.
Balancing the roles of wife, mother, public servant, professional, mentor, and community leader has required countless hours of dedication long after the traditional workday ended.
Leadership has also meant making decisions that weren’t always popular.
She has learned that integrity sometimes requires standing alone. That authenticity occasionally disappoints others. And that purpose often asks us to choose conviction over comfort.
Rather than weakening her, those moments strengthened her resolve to lead with honesty, compassion, and unwavering principles.
The Woman Beyond the Leadership
Away from boardrooms and community meetings, Akita treasures life’s simplest joys.
She enjoys shopping with her daughter, spending quality time with her husband, reading, relaxing with a favorite Netflix series, and discovering the world of Korean dramas.
These quiet moments remind her that life isn’t measured only by accomplishments.
It is measured by relationships.
By laughter.
By shared memories.
By the people who make every season worthwhile.
Those moments also help replenish the energy required to continue serving others.
Learning to Protect Her Peace
For many years, Akita embraced a familiar role shared by countless women.
She took care of everyone else.
Family. Career. Community. Leadership.
Her own needs often came last.
Eventually, she realized something profound:
“You can’t pour from an empty cup.”
Today, protecting her peace is no longer optional—it is essential.
She practices what she calls “daily mental hygiene,” intentionally guarding what she allows into her mind, her spirit, and her life.
Prayer. Reflection. Rest. Healthy boundaries. Supportive relationships.
These have become the practices that sustain both her leadership and her well-being.
She has also learned that saying “no” doesn’t diminish her ability to serve. It strengthens it.
Because when leaders care for themselves, they are better equipped to care for others.
Creating a Legacy That Lasts
Ask Akita what she hopes people remember about her, and her answer has little to do with titles.
She hopes they remember someone who opened doors.
Someone who encouraged young people to believe in themselves.
Someone who served with compassion and integrity.
Someone who helped others dream bigger than their current circumstances.
Her greatest desire is for every student to understand that success has many paths.
College.
Trade school.
Entrepreneurship.
Military service.
Professional careers.
Every dream matters.
Every child matters.
And every young person deserves someone who believes in their potential before they fully believe in themselves.
She also hopes her daughter sees a model of leadership grounded in humility, faith, perseverance, and service—a legacy that extends far beyond professional accomplishments.
What Comes Next
After years of building a career, serving her community, advocating for students, and pouring into others, Akita is approaching the future differently.
She isn’t trying to map out every detail of the next chapter.
Instead, she is learning to embrace each day as it comes.
“I’ve learned not to plan too far ahead,” she shares. “I’m always open to opportunities to serve.”
And service will undoubtedly remain part of whatever comes next.
Akita plans to continue advocating for students, families, and the importance of public education while remaining open to new opportunities to make a difference.
But she also sees a future that makes room for something women who spend their lives serving others sometimes postpone:
rest.
She can envision retirement, finally having the time to write a book about her journey, and perhaps spending more than a few peaceful days relaxing on a beach.
It is a picture of a woman who understands that purpose doesn’t always require another position, another title, or another accomplishment.
Sometimes purpose looks like sharing the wisdom you’ve gained.
Sometimes it means continuing to serve when called.
And sometimes it means simply being grateful for a life filled with faith, family, service, and purpose.
Whatever the next chapter brings, Akita intends to meet it the same way she has met every chapter before it—with an open heart, a willingness to serve, and trust that God will guide the way.
A Woman2Watch
For Akita Parmer, being recognized as a Woman2Watch is not about being in the spotlight.
It is about remaining faithful to the purpose God has placed on her life.
It is about encouraging the next generation to lead with courage.
It is about reminding women that they belong in every room they are called to enter.
And it is about demonstrating that success is measured not by the titles we collect, but by the lives we touch along the way.
Guided by her favorite scripture, Jeremiah 29:11, Akita continues to trust God’s plan through every season of life.
Her journey reminds us that leadership isn’t about having all the answers.
It’s about having the faith to keep moving forward, the courage to serve others, and the willingness to leave every place—and every person—better than you found them.
That is the mark of a true Woman2Watch.
Connect with Akita Parmer
Akita Parmer is passionate about educational excellence, servant leadership, scholarship opportunities, and community engagement. Through her work in education, public service, and nonprofit leadership, she continues to advocate for students, families, and future generations.
Facebook:Â facebook.com/electakitaparmer
Email:Â akitaparmer@bellsouth.net
“Success is measured not only by what we achieve for ourselves, but by the opportunities we create for others.” — Akita Parmer
By Real Women Atlanta Magazine
