News
Mary Alice Haney '89
Fashion designer, stylist, and producer Mary Alice Haney ’89 has recently added a new title to her repertoire—podcast host. In March, she launched SHE MD, a brand new podcast, alongside her co-host, world-renowned OB-GYN Dr. Thaïs Aliabadi. The weekly podcast, available on YouTube, Apple, and Spotify, “empowers women with knowledge and tools to become their own health advocates.” Alongside celebrity guests and health experts, Haney and Aliabadi cover topics from fertility and breast cancer to menopause, endometriosis, Ozempic, and more. Recent episodes include interviews with SZA, Olivia Culpo, Olivia Munn, and other names you may recognize. In addition to her new podcast, Mary Alice is producing two new television shows—one with Netflix and another with Universal.
How did you get into fashion? Did you always see that as your path?
I always loved entertainment and fashion and knew I wanted to do both somehow. I attended Southern Methodist University in Dallas and also studied at Parsons School of Design in Europe. I moved to LA and received my MFA in production and costume design from the American Film Institute and became the West Coast editor for various magazines, which meant I would do things like style and direct cover shoots. I then transitioned into styling celebrities and doing talk shows. I created two fashion shows for E!, then did a show called Ambush Makeover. Eleven years ago, I started my own fashion line, HANEY.
You spent 30 years in the fashion industry. Why did you transition from fashion design to podcaster?
I was forced to shut down my fashion brand, HANEY, during COVID. I made cocktail and red carpet dresses and, when the world shut down, so did parties and red carpets. At the same time, my father got very sick with Parkinson's disease. We have a lot of brain health issues in my family, and I started to educate myself on prevention. I began guest-hosting Molly Sims's podcast, Lipstick on the Rim, and brought in doctors I wanted to interview. It's there that I met Dr. Thaïs Aliabadi. Dr. A had the most incredible story about her own breast cancer journey, and I knew we had to make a podcast to help women get important health information and learn to advocate for themselves.
Why are you passionate about women’s health and what do you hope women take away from your podcast?
If you look around in terms of the medical field, women are dismissed. We’re told we’re crazy, hormonal, etc. Men’s concerns are taken more seriously. Even big celebrities have been dismissed. We want all women to be equipped with the health information that can save their lives. We’re interviewing celebrities who are talking about their own health issues, but they’re also fun conversations. And after each episode we share action items so that women can have the tools and knowledge they need and go to find their own doctor.
What are some of your proudest career moments or accomplishments over the years?
Raising great children is a huge accomplishment and having a wonderful marriage and a happy blended family. Creating HANEY and having it be as successful as it was was a huge accomplishment. And I’m so proud of this podcast. I think we’re going to change so many women’s lives in so many ways. My sister Meg, who also went to GPS, is my producing partner. That’s been fun to have something to work on together. I’m proud to be a women’s advocate.
What were you involved in at GPS?
I was in Terpsichord–I loved Ms. Thomas. It was a big part of my time at GPS. GPS had an amazing arts program.
Are there any experiences or memories from your time at GPS that really stick out?
I definitely wasn’t a scholar; I was an artist. I had a great teacher, Mrs. Mary Carrithers, who helped me create an incredible portfolio that helped me get into SMU and then grad school. So having her at GPS was hugely important to me.
Can you point to anything that GPS did to prepare you for your future?
I think just going to an all-girls school teaches you leadership as a woman. I’ve never been afraid to open any door, to talk to anybody. There was never a moment after GPS that I didn't feel confident enough in myself to dream any dream and make it happen.
If you could offer one piece of advice to current GPS students, what would it be?
I think sometimes when you’re young, you think the dream you have is impossible. But it’s not. With a lot of hard work, it’s possible. If you had looked at my grades in high school, you wouldn’t have thought I would go anywhere. It’s about if you have a passion, if you have an idea, and how hard you are willing to work to get there.
