Annise Parker is a distinguished American politician who served as the 61st Mayor of Houston, Texas, from 2010 to 2016. As Houston’s second female mayor and one of the first openly gay mayors of a major U.S. city, Parker made history by leading the most populous city to elect an openly gay mayor until 2019. Her tenure was marked by significant achievements, including the passage of the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance, which aimed to protect the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals and other marginalized groups in the city.

Before her mayoral role, Parker was an at-large member of the Houston City Council from 1998 to 2003 and served as city controller from 2004 to 2010. During her time as city controller, she was re-elected unopposed in 2005 and 2007, and she played a pivotal role in securing a seat for a controller’s appointee on the Houston Municipal Pension System Board of Trustees, enhancing the city’s financial governance.

Parker’s journey in public service began with her election to the City Council in 1997, where she became Houston’s first openly gay elected official. Her leadership was recognized with awards such as “Councilmember of the Year” from the Houston Police Officers Union. In 2009, she announced her candidacy for mayor, winning the election in December 2009 and subsequently securing two additional terms in 2011 and 2013.

After leaving office in 2016, Parker continued her commitment to public service as the CEO and President of the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund and Leadership Institute, where she has significantly expanded programming and support for LGBTQ+ candidates. She also serves as a professor at Rice University’s Doerr Institute for New Leaders and is actively involved in various nonprofit organizations, demonstrating her ongoing dedication to community development and equality.