Anita Carman

Education and Corporate Work Experience
Anita received her bachelor's degree from the University of Mississippi, obtained an MBA from the State University of New York, and pursued an aggressive career in management consulting, working for top companies such as Booz, Allen, and Hamilton and Exxon.

Ministry
Seven years into her career, Anita followed God’s call to lay down her laurels from the corporate world. She served as a leader in Beth Moore’s Sunday school class for seven years, where Beth called upon Anita to teach in her absence and told her one day, “Anita, you have the cloak; just dip it in the water.” Anita left Beth’s class to seek God’s calling for her life. She completed graduate-level studies at Dallas Theological Seminary, where she graduated at the top of her class to receive Dallas Seminary’s award for the student with the highest academic achievement in the master’s program. She served for five years at the College of Biblical Studies, the largest multi-ethnic Bible college in the country, where she began as director of women’s ministry and became the vice president of special programs and special assistant to the president. She left the college with zero in the bank, no office space or infrastructure, but with a vision from God to establish Inspire Women to release the potential of God’s daughters for maximum missions and service.

Speaking Engagements
Anita is a sought-after speaker in corporate America, women’s leadership conferences and churches. Her most recent speaking invitations include a company-wide employee motivation lunch with Reliant Energy, Inspire Women’s “When Dreams Won’t Die” Rally, the Southern Baptist of Texas Convention Women’s Ministry Leadership Forum, the Women’s Leadership Summit founded by Jill Briscoe and organized by Elmbrook Church Women2Day.

Community and Leadership Recognition
Anita’s leadership is recognized by both business and ministry leaders. She has received awards such as the Professional Women’s Fellowship Community Leader award, the Chinese Community Center “Asian American All-Star” award, the Daughters of the American Revolution “Americanism” award for her contribution to the community, and various awards from local churches. The city of Houston recognized Anita’s impact in the city by declaring November 10 as Inspire Women day. She has appeared on the front pages of the Houston Chronicle religious section and featured in the “extraordinary stories by ordinary people” segments on both WB-39 news and Fox 26.

Read Anita's Gifted for Leadership articles:

-- Fulfilling God-Sized Dreams" (February 20, 2007)