Anita K. Parran, a native of St. Louis, makes her home in Kansas City, MO where she is Principal for KK Charles Communications, LLC, a firm she founded in 1998. The firm specializes in public and media relations, professional writing and special projects management. It provides communications consultation services for a select clientele of non-profit and for-profit entities and has earned a number of APEX international awards for communications excellence.

Anita received a B.A. in Journalism from Stephens College and M.A. in Business Management from Webster University in Webster Groves, MO. She also earned the Certified Communications Professional (CCP) designation sanctioned by the University of Washington School of Communications.

An ardent and committed servant leader, Anita is currently the Public Member on the Missouri Board of Pharmacy. In 2019, she was elected Chair of the National Board of Directors for the Association for Women in Communications (AWC). She previously held the office of AWC Vice Chair and served as Membership Committee chair for two years.  Simultaneously, she was elected Chair of the Board of Directors for the AWC Advancement Fund of which she now serves as Immediate Past Chair. Anita is a Vice President of the Board of Directors for the Urban League of Greater Kansas City, and a Board of Directors member for the Stephens College Kansas City Alumnae Club.

Anita’s professional and civic affiliations include the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), Kansas City Association of Black Journalists (KCABJ)/National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ), American Marketing Association (AMA), Kansas City Freelance Exchange, American Association of University Women (AAUW), VIP Member – National Association of Professional Women (NAPW), Professional Organization of Women of Excellence Recognized (P.O.W.E.R.), and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. – Beta Omega Graduate Chapter.

An ardent and constant servant leader, Anita has been honored with the Velma E. Woodson Outstanding Leadership Award from the NAACP Kansas City, Missouri Branch for being a committed volunteer for government, civic and community entities. She was selected to join the Kansas City Globe Society of Influentials. Anita has also been chosen twice as one of City’s Most Influential Women by the KC Business Magazine, the first time as a Charter Class member. She is the recipient of the National Headliner Award from the Association for Women in Communications, and Lifetime Achievement Award from the Kansas City Association of Black Journalists.

>Anita’s life partner is Clinton Adams, Jr., Esq. who has a daughter Courtney M. Adams. Anita enjoys membership in three book clubs: Women of Words (WOW), Characters, and AWC Book Club. She enjoys writing, mentoring young women, traveling, and convening an eclectic networking group of women called The Usual Suspects.