Dr. Mahalia Ann Hines served as a principal in the Chicago Public Schools for seventeen years.  Prior to that, she worked as a teacher in Chicago Public Schools for over 14 years.  It is her love of children and knowing that educating young people is a way to provide them with opportunities they would not have otherwise that drives her career, and personal life choices. 

Even while serving as a Marketing Manager for Gillette and Liquid Paper from 1976 to 1984, she owned and operated three Day Care Centers. This was her way of continuing to be involved in the lives of children. 

In 1996, she became the business manager for her son, Common's, music company Senseless Music, Inc.  In addition to being his business manager, she also works closely with his foundation, and is the president of his new company Hip Hop Schoolhouse, which published  his first children’s book and other educational materials for children in the fall of 2005. After retiring from principalship in 2005, she realized that her work with children had not ended, but just begun. Dr. Hines continues to work to improve the lives of urban youth by becoming more involved with the Common Ground Foundation, mentoring new principals, and working with her son to create and distribute exciting, relevant reading material for today’s youth.