Kathleen Parker

Kathleen Parker’s insightful and articulate commentary highlights her pragmatic approach to life’s challenges. She regularly assesses the U.S. mental health and political climate in her Washington Post column, published twice weekly.

Politically describing herself as "mostly right of center," Parker was recognized for her accuracy in a 2012 retrospective study examining pundit prediction accuracy from 2008.

Now a widely read opinion columnist featured in over 350 newspapers, Parker’s career trajectory in journalism transitioned from smaller papers to national prominence. She shares, "I never set out to become a commentator – and continue to resist the label 'pundit' – but found that keeping my opinion out of my writing was impossible." Her forthright expression stemmed from an urge to engage rather than observe from the sidelines.

Awarded the H.L. Mencken Writing Award in 1993 for her compelling critiques, Parker garnered a significant following, particularly post-Sept. 11, 2001. Her columns supporting American troops and frontline responders during the Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts underscored her reputation as a leading commentator, earning her recognition from The Week magazine as one of the country’s top five columnists in 2004 and 2005.

Beginning her column in 1987 at The Orlando Sentinel, and achieving national syndication by 1995, Parker joined The Washington Post Writers Group in 2006. She has written for various esteemed publications, including The Weekly Standard and Time, and is a member of USA Today's Board of Contributors. Her engagement with media extends to television, where she is a regular guest on NBC's "Meet the Press" and MSNBC's "Hardball."

Her book "Save the Males: Why Men Matter, Why Women Should Care" was released in 2008 by Random House. Parker also brings an academic perspective, having studied at the University of Valencia and holding a master’s degree in Spanish from Florida State University. She currently serves as a writer in residence at the Buckley School of Public Speaking in Camden, S.C.

Parker is married with three sons and splits her time between Camden and Washington, D.C., balancing her personal life with her professional commitments.