Maleia M. Evans

Maleia is a national, regional, and local speaker in areas of professional development, workplace motivation, healthcare administration, women’s inspirational topics, and prison ministry/recidivism coaching. She is an entrepreneur, an educator, and practices what she preaches. Maleia believes that there are no greater learning experiences in life than “life lessons”. She believes an education is essential to maximize potential, but experience is critical to success. Maleia’s personal stories of struggles and successes are inspiring, humorous, and motivating for any professional seeking to do their best at their chosen career. Her messages are delivered in an entertaining, while thought-provoking, format.

After long successful careers as both a Litigation Paralegal and a Healthcare Administrators, Maleia joined the TN Small Business Development Center network and the Dyersburg State Community College family in Sept 2010 as Director of the TN Small Business Development Center. She currently serves a seven county territory, in which she educates, counsels, and trains business owners from all walks of life on how to start, grow, and sustain a business.

In 2012, Maleia was named the National State Star for TN at the annual conference of the American Association of Small Business Development Centers. In 2013, for recognition of her achievements and dedication to economic development, especially in women and minorities, Maleia received a legislative appointment from Gov Bill Haslam to serve a six year term as the Northwest TN representative on the Board of Directors for the Tennessee Economic Council on Women.

In her spare time, Maleia founded Second Saturday Success, a non-profit organization whose mission is to educate, inspire, and nurture professional and personal develop in women and minorities of NW TN. Since its inception in 2012, the program has recently expanded it services to offer business coaching and job skills training to displaced workers, as well as former convicted felons, male and female alike.

Maleia holds a Masters in Business Administration from Bethel University, resides with her husband in northwest TN, is the proud mother of a daughter and the "coolest mother-in-law on the planet". Quite simply, Maleia loves life because what's there to hate about it?