Nicknamed First Lady Serita Jakes, she is the wife of Pastor TD Jakes of The Potter House. She is also an author, having penned books like The Princess Within and Beside Every Good Man.
She studied theatre and mass communications. She and TD Jakes were married in 1981.
In 1998, she and her husband founded the Christian preparatory school Clay Academy. She also founded the God's Leading Ladies Life Enrichment program and The Potter's House's Debutante Program.
She and TD Jakes have five children together: two daughters, Sarah and Cora, and three sons, Jermaine, Jamar, and Thomas Jr.
In 2009, she had a small role in the film Not Easily Broken starring Morris Chestnut and Taraji Henson. The film was produced by her husband, based on his book of the same name.