Welcome Our New Membership Manager, Mahalia Mays!

I am Mahalia Mays, and it is a genuine joy to stand alongside and support leaders I respect and proudly celebrate. As I step into my new role as Membership Manager, I want to share how grateful I am to join this distinguished collective of executive women who are spearheading the travel and hospitality industry. Being part of this community feels both inspiring and purposeful.

My path to this moment has been anything but linear, which is precisely what makes it feel so fitting. I’ve built my career at the intersection of the performing arts, community engagement and mission driven membership work. I began as a young dancer in my hometown of Greenville, South Carolina, later leading me to New York City to train at The Ailey School. I earned my Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Marketing from Fordham University, where I further honed my understanding of both creative and analytical work. For over a decade, I performed professionally, collaborated with renowned choreographers and traveled to eleven countries while dancing aboard a cruise ship. These experiences taught me how profoundly exploration can open our hearts, broaden our worldview and transform our sense of what’s possible.

When I achieved the artistic goals I had set for myself, I felt called to uplift the next generation of young artists. That shift led me into teaching, arts administration, fundraising and community centered roles within respected cultural institutions. Most recently, I served as Membership Coordinator at the International African American Museum, named one of TIME Magazine’s World’s Greatest Places in 2024, where I managed a robust portfolio of more than 3,500 household memberships. There, I discovered how data, storytelling and personalized connection combine to cultivate a vibrant and engaged community.

Altogether, these experiences have prepared me for this position because Women Leading Travel is more than a membership. It is a movement. It is a space where your stories, your leadership and your global perspectives unite to create impact across the travel and hospitality sectors. Women Leading Travel’’s mission resonates deeply with my conviction that shared experiences and strong networks can shape careers. I am dedicated to ensuring you feel informed, valued and supported at every stage of your member experience.

Now as part of the Skift brand, you can expect greater access to industry leading research, world class events, and new pathways for global collaboration. Strengthened by our members’ unique career backgrounds, we will continue to build an influential and dynamic community that drives meaningful change and paves the way for future generations of women leaders.

I am blessed to be on this journey with you. Feel free to email me, mlm@skift.com, with any membership questions, or to say hello! I look forward to meeting all of our members at next year’s in-person and virtual events.