Meet the Author
Alisa L. Parker-LaGrone is a District Court Judge for Kalamazoo County’s 8th District Court, a community advocate, and — most recently — a children’s book author. Through the Lyla and Lydia series, she brings her real-world experience with fairness, listening, and problem-solving to young readers in a way that’s fun, warm, and easy to understand.
From the Bench to the Page
Writing has always been Judge Parker-LaGrone’s other passion. The Lyla and Lydia series grew out of years spent giving courthouse tours to local students, helping them see that the justice system isn’t something to fear — it’s a tool for fairness that anyone can understand.
Many of the details in the books are personal. The character Langston is named after her own son. Lois Key Memorial Academy, where the twins attend school, is named for her grandmother. Even the wise “Judge Cynthia” pays tribute to a mentor who shaped her path to the bench. “The writing process has opened up ways for me to pay homage to people in my life who have done wonderful things,” she says.
Before joining the bench in 2021, Judge Parker-LaGrone spent years as a housing attorney, serving as Managing Attorney for Legal Services of South Central Michigan and helping build eviction diversion programs in Calhoun County. She remains deeply involved in her community today — chairing the State Bar of Michigan’s Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Committee, serving on the board of the Harold and Grace Upjohn Foundation, and co-founding Sisters in Business Michigan, among other roles.
Her work has been honored with a YWCA Women of Achievement award, The Alexander C. Lipsey Judge of Justice Award and recognition as one of Southwest Michigan Urban League’s Most Valuable Women.
Judge Parker-LaGrone earned her J.D. from Western Michigan University Cooley Law School, her MBA from Western Michigan University, and her B.A. from Fisk University. Originally from Kalamazoo’s Northside, she lives in Kalamazoo today with her husband, Lyonel.
