Annise Parker | |
---|---|
61st Mayor of Houston | |
In office January 2, 2010 – January 2, 2016 |
|
Preceded by | Bill White |
Succeeded by | Sylvester Turner |
14th City Controller of Houston | |
In office January 2, 2004 – January 2, 2010 |
|
Preceded by | Judy Johnson |
Succeeded by | Ronald Green |
Member of the Houston City Council from At-large Position 1 |
|
In office January 2, 1998 – January 2, 2004 |
|
Preceded by | Gracie Saenz |
Succeeded by | Mark Ellis |
Personal details | |
Born |
Annise Danette Parker May 17, 1956 Houston, Texas, U.S. |
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse(s) | Kathy Hubbard (m. 2014) |
Children | 4 |
Education | Rice University (BA) |
Website |
Government website Personal website |
Annise Danette Parker (born May 17, 1956) is an American politician who served as the 61st Mayor of Houston, Texas, from 2010 until 2016. She also served as an at-large member of the Houston City Council from 1998 to 2003 and city controller from 2004 to 2010.
Parker was Houston's second female mayor (after Kathy Whitmire), and one of the first openly gay mayors of a major U.S. city, with Houston being the most populous U.S. city to elect an openly gay mayor.
Following the voter-approval of Proposition 2 on November 3, 2015, which extended the terms of the Mayor, City Controller, and City Councilmembers to two four-year terms, Parker became the last Houston Mayor to be limited to serving three two-year terms.
Parker was born in Houston on May 17, 1956 and grew up in the community of Spring Branch, where she attended public schools. Her mother was a bookkeeper, and her adoptive father worked for the Red Cross. In 1971, when Parker was 15, her family moved to a U.S. Army post in Mannheim, Germany for two years. In Germany, she volunteered in the Red Cross youth service organization and worked at the post library.
Parker began attending Rice University on a National Merit scholarship in 1974, working several jobs to pay for her room and board. A member of Jones College, she graduated in 1978 with a bachelor's degree in anthropology, psychology and sociology.
Prior to serving as an elected official, Parker worked in the oil and gas industry as a software analyst for over 20 years, including 18 years at Mosbacher Energy. In addition, she co-owned Inklings Bookshop with business partner Pokey Anderson from the late 1980s until 1997 and served as president of the Neartown Civic Association from 1995 to 1997. In 1986 and 1987, she was president of the Houston GLBT Political Caucus.
As of January 2018, Parker is currently CEO and President of the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund and Leadership Institute. She is also a professor at the Doerr Institute for New Leaders at Rice University. In 2017 after her role as Mayor of Houston, she served as Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer for BakerRipley.