As a former award-winning CNN journalist and seasoned Marketing and Communications Executive, I bring over 20 years of experience across media, public relations, communications, and higher education. In 2015, I was honored with the CNN Diversity Ovation Award for my dedication to inclusive journalism, and I am proud to have been recognized as one of the Women We Admire Top 50 Women Leaders in Georgia for 2023 and 2024. My career has encompassed roles in executive leadership, communication, DEI, and journalism, allowing me to work with clients across sectors, including tech, corporate, healthcare, education, and nonprofit. 

Most recently, I served as the Chief Communications and Marketing Officer at Diversified Search Group, where I oversaw internal and external communications strategies, marketing, public relations, and branding across all acquired practices. I joined Diversified Search Group through the acquisition of Yardstick Management, where I played a key role in building the brand, marketing the sale, and executing the acquisition and integration processes. Within six months, I was promoted to lead corporate communications for the entire firm and all its practices. 

Prior to that, as Corporate Director of Public Relations at Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), I developed and executed initiatives that elevated the university’s profile both regionally and nationally, securing media coverage and fostering global partnerships. My journalism career at CNN included roles as a Producer, Assignment Editor, and Digital Writer, where I covered critical stories across the Middle East, Asia, and Africa.

In 2015, I established Shelbayah Consulting, LLC, to provide bespoke global communications solutions tailored to organizational needs. My firm offers a comprehensive range of services, including strategic planning, media and public relations, public speaking coaching, intercultural training, content development, executive coaching, and event keynote and emcee facilitation. My esteemed clients include The Carter Center, Google, and American Express.

I hold a B.A. in Journalism with a minor in Sociology and an M.A. in Linguistics, focusing on cross-cultural linguistics of Spanish and Arabic, both from Georgia State University. I also earned a certificate in Global Media Policy from Oxford University, UK, and I am a graduate of the LEAD Atlanta leadership program and the New Leaders Council Atlanta Class of 2023.

I was raised and live in Georgia with my two daughters. In my spare time, my interests include spending quality time with family and friends, cooking and hosting, traveling, dancing, reading, and writing.