Rev. Dr. Trish Harleston is visionary and founder of Trish Harleston Ministries (THM), a religious non-profit outreach organization which serves as host for the THM Liquidated Ladies Conferences and Community service events. THM offers free community workshops on various topics covering spiritual, professional and personal development. Trish Harleston Ministries has awarded over $10,000 in scholarships to local students. The ministry is involved in a number of community efforts including toy drives, as well as supporting local agencies through collection of funds and resources each year during the annual Women’s Conference.
Rev. Harleston holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration/Management from Shaw University, a Master of Arts in Christian Counseling from Apex School of Theology and a Doctorate in Christian Ministry from the North Carolina Theological Seminary and an Honorary Doctorate in Humanitarianism from Global International Alliance. As a licensed and ordained minister, she has been a highly requested preacher and conference presenter.
Although Rev. Dr. Harleston began singing and serving in the church as a youth in Clinton, NC where she was baptized in the Disciples of Christ Church; she didn’t recognize the hand of God operating in her life until years later when the depth of her relationship with Jesus Christ would be revealed to her. She accepted God’s call to preach the Gospel in 2002 and was ordained in the Missionary Baptist Association in 2007. For 13 years, Rev. Harleston served on staff in church administration overseeing Christian Education, Operational, Organizational and Ministry Development.
In addition to serving as preacher, teacher, conference speaker and public servant, Rev. Harleston is a published author of five publications and is a contributing author for two releases. Rev. Harleston is also a cast member in the award-winning gospel stage play Spare the Rod, Spoil the Child, for which she was nominated as the Best Supporting Actress in a Stage Play for her role. Finally, Rev. Harleston has authored a weekly message as an inspirational blogger for the past twelve years.
Rev. Harleston is a member of the Durham Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. Additional work in the community includes her service on the Board of Directors for the United Christian Campus Ministries at NCCU, where she served as Chair of the By-Laws Committee and a member of the Durham International Ministerial Alliance.
Dr. Harleston has received numerous awards in ministry and in community service; 2016 Spectacular Magazine Woman of the Year for Community Service; 2016 Who’s Who in Black Raleigh and Durham as a Spiritual Leader; 2017 Druecillar Fordham Award in Pastoral Excellence from Wayland Baptist Theological Seminary; 2018 Woman of Distinction Award in Spirituality from Aura Galleria; and a 2019 Honoree for women in leadership from the Durham Chapter of Charms. She was awarded the 2017 Merrick Fisher Spaulding Award, which is a public service recognition within her local Sorority Chapter.
Although there is great ministerial demand upon her life, Dr. Harleston is a woman of incredible life balance as she cherishes the time that she spends as wife to Charles Harleston, as Mom to her two adult children, and as Mimi to her grandchildren. Rev. Harleston stands on the scripture in 1 Corinthians 15: 10 “I am what I am by the grace of God”.