Meet our Leaders

Pastor & Servant Leader

Superintendent Bryan E. Harris

Superintendent Bryan E. Harris is the pastor and servant leader of Unity Temple Church of God in Christ in Brooklyn, New York. He leads with a heart for worship, witnessing, discipleship, and spiritual growth, encouraging the congregation to deepen its relationship with God and put its faith into action. Under his leadership, Unity Temple embraces its mission to love God, love people, and make disciples while remaining a welcoming church community where everybody is somebody.

Superintendent Harris serves the Eastern New York First Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction as AIM Chairman, Assistant Jurisdictional Secretary, and Superintendent of the Gold Coast District. His service has also extended to the national church, where he served as Assistant Coordinator of the National Jurisdictional Auxiliaries in Ministry Committee.

A lifelong churchman, Superintendent Harris was shaped by years of service alongside his father, the late Pastor John E. Harris. Before his appointment as pastor of Unity Temple, he served as Assistant Pastor of New Calvary Church of God in Christ. His path in ministry began with service on the Deacon Board in his twenties, followed by ministerial licensure and ordination as an Elder. Each season strengthened his commitment to serving God and God's people.

Music has long been another expression of that commitment. Superintendent Harris served for more than twenty years as Minister of Music at Saint Catherine African Methodist Episcopal Church, working alongside three pastors during his tenure. His dedication to service reaches beyond the church as well. For nearly twenty years, he has worked with the New Rochelle Board of Education in its Special Education division. He studied at Monroe College, has completed a certification in Christian Ministry at New York Theological Seminary, and completed additional studies through the Te'Hillah School of Urban Ministry.

Superintendent Harris is married to the love of his life, Dr. Allashia Smith-Harris, and is the proud father of four daughters. He strives to give his best to his family, his church, and the communities he serves. Above all, his desire is to please the Lord.

Servant Leader

Dr. Allashia Smith-Harris

Licensed Mental Health Counselor | Minister | Author | Motivational Speaker | Workshop Facilitator | Consultant | Clinical Supervisor

Allashia, affectionately known as Dr. Allie, is a New York State Licensed Mental Health Counselor with Diagnostic Privilege and an Advanced Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor. Allashia received her bachelor’s degree in psychology and her master's degree in Mental Health Counseling from Mercy College, where she served as the first mental health counselor adjunct in the Mental Health Counseling Graduate Program at Mercy College, now known as Mercy University. Allashia has completed her Doctor of Human Services with a specialization in Leadership and Organizational Management.

Allashia is an experienced healthcare professional having served more than 20 years across the healthcare spectrum. Allashia has trained numerous clinicians and program leaders in community mental health, helping to develop a workforce of providers that are person centered, recovery oriented, trauma informed, culturally sensitive, equitable, respectful, and integral.

Allashia is a sought after private practitioner, motivational speaker, mentor, and self published author of Hidden: Mental Illness Hides Out in the Church, a resource for Black churches to identify and manage mental illness in their congregations. Her clinical interests are guided by an extensive history with the Black church, a passion for helping marginalized communities, centering the voice of people with lived experience, and combating stigma to help others become their healthiest and best version of themselves.

Allashia is the founder of Becoming A Better Me, LLC, a wellness center that provides counseling services, workshop and training facilitation, consultations, and clinical supervision to Becoming practitioners. Allashia also leads a training institute for New York State, overseeing the training, technical assistance, support, and consultations provided to more than 140 Assertive Community Treatment teams, training more than 1,000 mental health providers throughout the state. Dr. Allie serves as a member of the leadership team with the Center for Practice Innovations at New York State Psychiatric Institute at Columbia University.

Lastly, Dr. Allie is licensed clergy in the Church of God in Christ, serving alongside her husband as servant leaders of Unity Temple COGIC in Brooklyn, New York. She is a proud Soror of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., and her greatest joy is found in family. She is a proud wife and mother to two beautiful girls.