MA Top 30 Professional: Annika Perkins

President and Superintendent
Texas Center for Arts + Academics

Don’t call the arts elective coursework—not around Anika Perkins, president and superintendent of the Texas Center for Arts and Academics (TCA+A).

She’s dedicated her career to the belief that, when it comes to education, training in music, dance, theater, and the visual arts produces creative thinkers, academic success, and well-rounded, capable adults.

TCA+A is an umbrella organization impacting two charter districts: Texas School of the Arts and Fort Worth Academy of Fine Arts. Both districts are audition-based in the fine arts and blend rigorous academics with intensive arts training. It also manages two choirs, the Texas Arts Conservatory, the Texas Dance Conservatory, the Texas Music Conservatory, and summer programs. 

Perkins joined in 2021 as chief academic officer and deputy superintendent; she quickly rose through the ranks via her response to the Covid-19 shutdown.

“During the pandemic, the arts provided [our] students with a vital outlet for expression, connection, and emotional well-being, helping them remain engaged and motivated through unprecedented challenges,” Perkins says. 

In 2024 she was promoted to her current post, one in which she continues to forge partnerships with local organizations and create new programs. On her watch, the Texas Center has opened its after-school offerings and launched a strategic plan to guarantee the group’s long-term financial stability.

“I am deeply committed to expanding access to arts education,” Perkins says, “and on ensuring…that future
generations can continue to benefit from the transformative power of the arts.”