Meet Dr. Mallanie Harris | Educator & CEO of The GiftEd Table

We had the good fortune of connecting with Dr. Mallanie Harris and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dr. Mallanie, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
To be honest, it has been very intimidating for me to start my own business. I was given the gift of “time” from my former district, my role changed, and so it it allowed me to start creating The GiftEd Table. I have always wanted a platform where I could interview women in various professions about their journey, triumphants, pitfalls and how they recover with grace. The GiftEd Table (TGT) is a way for me to connect with women from domestic engineers (stay-at-home moms) to those winning in the C-Suite. I first started with what would be my purpose, then I curated my four Ps for the business: Purpose, Passion, Position and Profession. Since I wanted to have a “broadast-style” format, I started with two things, my YouTube Channel and a website. I created the website on my own, it’s a bit generic, buy I just want a place to get started. I am still working on getting traffic to the website, and I will need to reimagine it soon. Yet, my focus has been meeting and interviewing various women on TGT. Though it’s been over a year, it’s still in it’s infancy as I continue to work my full-time job. My goal is to use the website to offer group coaching sessions, become a paid speaker, and eventually host a conference.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My journey in education started in 1997 as a middle school teacher. I evenutally became a district coach, elementary assistant principal, and finally an elementary and middle school principal. I had been very comfortable in my education career for over two decades. However, circumstances with my previous district forced me to start thinking of my future and my passions. With an undergraduate degree in broadcast journalism, I wanted to finally marry this background with education. How could I do that and also highlight extraordinary women? Being a woman of color in leadership is very challenging in most professinal industries. The politics, professional expectations, and often times, misunderstanding of us gives women of color a different career narrative. What sets The GiftEd Table apart is that I create a platform that allows women to speak their uncensored peace about their professional, and often times, personal journey to success. I am still learning lessons. I am still growing and working towards moving, what may seem like a hobby, to a full time business of coaching, speaking and highlighting women.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Since I alternate between Southern California and the Bay Area, it could possibly be the best of both worlds. In So Cal, we would mostly indulge in some retail therapy in Cabazon, CA followed by a nice meal a few exits east in Palm Springs, like Eddie V’s. Depending on the time of year, we may spend a day at a beach, or catch the train to Oceanside to hangout near the water for the day. A spa day at Burke Williams one day with dinner at a local restarurant. That evening, we may catch a show at one of the local Improv Comedy locations. With only an hour flight to the Bay Area, we would spend a couple of days visiting a winery or two in Napa Valley or Livermore, CA. The cultrual scene is huge in San Francisco which would allow us to visit museums: The Museuem of the African Diaspora, de Young Museum to start. as well as musicals or other art-related events.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Huge shout out to Chris Hamilton, my editor, TGT support and “coach!” I’d also like to shout out a few personal and professional mentors who have continued to support my journey: Ella Stokes, my mother; Dr. Judy D. White, Dr. Lafaye Platter and Latasha Jimerson. I’d also like to thank my essential circle of Sister Friends for all of their love and support.

Website: thegiftedtable.com

Instagram: thegiftedtable

Twitter: @MallanieH

Youtube: The GiftEd Table

Image Credits
David Smith Maxwell Leadership