Ava Parker

President, Palm Beach State College, Lake Worth

Established in 1933, Palm Beach State College is Florida’s first public community college. With more than 36,000 students and nearly 2,600 employees across five campuses in Palm Beach County, PBSC is the fifth largest of Florida’s public colleges, with a $1-billion annual impact. Parker, who joined as the college’s first female president in 2015, started her career as an assistant public defender in Miami-Dade and later worked as assistant general counsel for the state transportation department. She previously served on the Florida Board of Governors, helped launch Florida Polytechnic University and was a University of Central Florida trustee.

EDUCATION: University of Florida (BA, JD)

MENTOR: My parents had a major impact on my life. They showed me the importance and meaning of being a good citizen, participating in the process and always giving back. They taught me through example that character counts and the necessity of being authentic and true to myself.

LISTENING: The Leadership Podcast, by Craig Groeschel, a pastor and author, really resonates with me. While he is a faith-based leader, he provides great tools for CEOs and leaders in any organization to be successful. He is very thoughtful and offers useful advice. His podcast helps people discover how to make positive changes in their lives through new and better habits and discipline.

INSPIRING FLORIDIAN: I find Mary Jane McLeod Bethune, a trailblazer in education in the state of Florida and our nation, truly inspirational. Born to formerly enslaved parents in 1875, she became one of the most prominent educators, civil and women’s rights leaders of the Twentieth Century. She served as an official in President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s administration and an advocate for African Americans. Bethune’s activism and leadership paved the way for future generations to break racial and gender barriers and pursue their aspirations.