Wanda E. Adams

Wanda Adams was first elected as Harris County Justice of the Peace Precinct 7, Place 1, in 2020 after serving 7 years on the Houston Independent School District Board of Education and the limit of three two-year terms as a member of the Houston City Council for District D.

Judge Adams is a native Houstonian and product of HISD, graduating as a basketball standout from Kashmere High School. She received an athletic scholarship to Texas Southern University, where she earned her bachelors of science degree in public affairs administration of justice and a master's degree in public administration. Judge Adams also had the opportunity to study abroad at the Federal University of Bahia in Brazil Social Justice Program under the Barbara Jordan Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs.

She has served as a professor of political science at her alma mater, where she also hosted the KTSU publicaffairs radio program "Impact Houston Live." Judge Adams is also the first African-American woman to be appointed to serve on the Harris County Appraisal District Board of Directors.

As a public servant, Judge Adams has been committed to support for the homeless, veterans, the disabled, and mentally ill, and is a strong advocate for breast cancer awareness and women affected by domestic violence. During her role as Justice of the Peace, Judge Adams continues to help our less fortunate citizens by providing resources preventing citizens from becoming homeless. She has created her Beyond the Bench initiatives that help homeowners and tenants gain information on retaining their homes, by avoiding evictions, hosting job fairs and referring tenants weekly to HCC for education opportunities and job leads.

She is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and has had the honor of being appointed to national committees, including the Social Action Commission and the National/Regional Housing Task Force. Judge Adams received an appointment to serve on the State Social Action Committee. She also served as a trustee for the Museum of Fine Arts Houston and is a member of Leadership Houston Class 30.

Among her awards are having Wanda Adams Community Park named in her honor,

2025 Greater Houston Women’s Chamber of Commerce Public Servant Award, 2025 Woman of Grace Award,

2025 Leslie Wesley A.M.E. Church Leadership Award,

2024 Bee Busy Wellness Leader Award,

2024 Blazing Pearl Award for Commnity Leader, A Phillip Randolph Leader Speaker Honor,

2023 Epsilon Sigma Chapter Pearls of Service Recipient Award ;

2023 Winners Global Magazine 2023 Top Women of the Year,

2022 Anderson Academy Astronomical Leadership Award,

2021 President Joe Biden Lifetime Achievement Award, 2021 The Fountain of Praise Church Servant Leader Award,

2018 Women Making History Leadership Award from Texas Democratic Women of Harris County;

Kashmere Former Athletes Association inductee into the 2018 Kashmere Ring of Honor;

Black Professional Cowboys and Cowgirls Association 2017 Trailblazer of the Year;

2017 Servant Leader Award from Fountain of Praise Church;

2017 Communication and Leadership Award from Toastmasters International;

2017 Knights of Peter Claver Living Legends Award;

d-mars.com's Top 30 Influential Women and Top 50 Black Professionals and Entrepreneurs;

Houston Woman magazine's Top 50 Women in Houston;

selection to RollingOut.com's Top 25 Women;

and the Award of Distinction from the National Forum of Black Public Administrators.

Judge Adams also partnered with KRIV Fox 26 on a television news special, "Diversity in the Classroom," at Westbury High School.

The program won a 2015 Lone Star Emmy Award.