Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashleigh Parker.
Hi Ashleigh, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I wear a lot of hats—District Court Judge, professor, speaker, mother of two incredible boys, and now author—but at the center of all of those roles is a woman who has learned what it means to rebuild.
Professionally, I’ve spent nearly fourteen years helping people navigate some of the hardest moments of their lives. For the last five, I’ve presided over cases involving abuse, neglect, domestic violence, addiction, and family crisis. Every day, I see the impact that heartbreak and trauma can have on individuals and families.
What many people don’t see is that, outside of the courtroom, I have had my own experiences with grief, disappointment, rejection, and seasons where I questioned who I was after life didn’t go according to plan.
Those experiences led me to write From Broken to Brazen. It began as my personal healing journey and evolved into a devotional for anyone trying to find themselves again after loss. My hope is that readers understand that brokenness doesn’t disqualify you from purpose. Sometimes it becomes the very thing God uses to reveal your strength.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Absolutely not. While I’m grateful for every opportunity I’ve had, the road has been anything but smooth.
Professionally, I’ve navigated spaces where I often felt the pressure to prove myself. As a young judge, a woman, and one of the few African American women in leadership roles, there were moments when I questioned whether I truly belonged at the tables God had called me to sit at. There were challenges that came with public scrutiny, balancing enormous responsibility, and carrying the weight of decisions that impact people’s lives every single day.
Personally, I’ve experienced heartbreak, rejection, disappointment, and seasons of profound grief. There were times when I was pouring into everyone else while running on empty myself. As a single mother raising two boys, there were nights I wondered how I was going to manage it all. I had to learn that strength isn’t pretending you’re okay; strength is being honest enough to admit when you’re hurting and courageous enough to seek healing.
Ironically, many of the struggles that made me question my purpose became the very foundation for *From Broken to Brazen*. The book wasn’t written from theory—it was written from lived experience. I know what it’s like to have plans fall apart, to mourn the life you thought you would have, and to wrestle with feelings of inadequacy while still showing up for others.
But I’ve also learned that broken seasons don’t last forever. God has a way of using the very things we wish had never happened to shape us into who we’re meant to become. Looking back, I wouldn’t choose many of the painful chapters I endured, but I can honestly say they taught me resilience, deepened my faith, and gave me a compassion for others that I couldn’t have gained any other way.
Those struggles didn’t stop my story. They refined it. And if *From Broken to Brazen* teaches anything, it’s that our scars don’t disqualify us—they often become the evidence that healing, hope, and new beginnings are possible.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I often say that my life’s work is helping people navigate some of their hardest moments and reminding them that those moments don’t have to define them.
Professionally, I serve as a District Court Judge in Wake County, North Carolina, where I preside over cases involving children and families in crisis. Much of my work has centered around abuse, neglect, dependency, domestic violence, and child support matters. These are deeply human cases that require not only a knowledge of the law, but compassion, patience, and the ability to see the people behind the case files.
I’m also an educator and speaker. I teach future legal professionals, train attorneys and judges, and speak across the country on topics including resilience, leadership, trauma-informed practices, authenticity, and faith. Throughout my career, I’ve tried to bridge the gap between professionalism and humanity by reminding people that excellence and empathy can coexist.
More recently, I’ve become known for my work as the author of *From Broken to Brazen: A 40-Day Devotional for Healing from Heartbreak, Loss, and Rejection*. While people often recognize me first as “Judge Parker,” this book has allowed others to see the woman behind the robe—the woman who has experienced disappointment, loss, unanswered prayers, and the difficult work of healing.
What I’m most proud of isn’t a title, an award, or a professional achievement. It’s the fact that I’ve remained faithful to my purpose through every season of my life. I’m proud that my sons have watched me persevere with integrity. I’m proud that I’ve built a career rooted in service while refusing to let painful experiences make me cynical. And I’m proud that I had the courage to tell the truth about my own healing journey in hopes that someone else might find the strength to begin theirs.
I believe what sets me apart is my willingness to embrace both strength and vulnerability. In a world that often rewards polished perfection, I’ve learned that authenticity creates connection. I can preside over a courtroom, teach a class, address a national audience, and still say, “I’ve had to heal too.”
People don’t just connect with expertise; they connect with honesty. My professional experiences have given me insight, but my personal experiences have given me empathy. The combination of the two has shaped the way I lead, serve, and write.
If there is one thing I hope people remember about me, it’s this: your pain and your purpose can occupy the same story. The chapters that break you don’t have to be the chapters that define you. By God’s grace, they can become the chapters that help someone else believe healing is possible.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
One of my favorite childhood memories is from a cruise I took with my parents. I’ve always loved to sing, dance, and be in the middle of the fun, so after dinner one evening, my parents took me to a dance party on the ship.
At some point in the excitement of the night, they realized they couldn’t find me. For a few panicked moments, they were searching through the crowd looking for their little girl. Then they heard it.
“Go Ashleigh! Go Ashleigh! Go Ashleigh!”
They followed the sound and discovered me right in the middle of the dance floor, completely unbothered, dancing my heart out while an entire crowd cheered me on. I was absolutely cutting a rug and loving every second of it.
Looking back, that memory makes me smile because it captures so much of who I’ve always been. Even as a little girl, I wasn’t afraid to take up space, embrace joy, and connect with people. I loved making others smile and wasn’t shy about stepping into the spotlight when the music started playing.
Life has certainly brought seasons that have challenged that carefree little girl, but I think one of the greatest gifts of adulthood is rediscovering the parts of yourself that existed before the world told you to be smaller. That little girl dancing in the center of the room—confident, joyful, and fully herself—still lives inside of me. I’ve just learned to pair her enthusiasm with purpose.
And if I’m being honest, if the right song comes on today, she’s still liable to make an appearance.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ashleighsparker.com
- Instagram: ashleighsparker
- Facebook: ashleighsparker.author
- Other: https://www.amazon.com/Broken-Brazen-Devotional-Heartbreak-Rejection/dp/B0FMGVPQRZ
