Lakita Frazier is a Certified Parks and Recreation Professional with over 25 years of experience in organizational leadership, program development, and capital improvement project management. She served as the Executive Director of the Richland County Recreation Commission from July 2018 until February 2022. Lakita served as the director of parks and recreation for Suffolk, Virginia, from 2003 until 2018. During her tenure in Suffolk, Lakita oversaw the department's Master Plan Update and led the agency's initial CAPRA Accreditation. She has been a fellow in the American Academy of Parks and Recreation Administration (AAPRA) since 2020.
She currently serves as the CEO and founder of Women in Parks and Recreation (WIPAR), which is committed to providing a positive platform and space for women in the field to collaborate, connect and support each other. In 2021, WIPAR was established as a federally recognized 501c3 nonprofit organization with an online following of over 11,000.
Lakita actively teaches and mentors and is committed to professional development and lifelong learning, presenting at local, state, and national conferences. She serves as an instructor and a co-chair of NRPA's Director's School and a regent for the Revenue Management Development School.
Lakita is the immediate Past President of the National Recreation and Parks Ethnic Minority Society and serves on the American Academy of Parks and Recreation Administrator's Justice Equity Diversity and Inclusion Committee. Lakita has been a member of the Board of Directors for the National Recreation and Parks Association since 2020, as well as a GP Red Advisory Committee and on the National Association of Park Foundations Board of Directors.