Dr. Shelton Goode

Dr. Shelton Goode is Chief Compliance Officer and Executive Director, Diversity and Inclusion for the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) which is the principal public transport operator in the Atlanta metropolitan area. Formed in 1971 as strictly a bus system, MARTA operates a network of bus routes linked to a rapid transit system consisting of 48 miles (77 km) of rail track with 38 train stations. It is the eighth-largest rapid transit system in the United States by ridership.

Shelton is responsible for developing and implementing diversity and inclusion strategies and equal employment opportunity (EEO) programs for the Authority. He works in close collaboration with Executive Diversity Council to ensure that all decisions, activities, programs, policies, procedures, processes and services are equitable and do not discriminate or adversely impact current or potential employees, customers, communities, businesses, or stakeholders.

Shelton is an executive leader with over 20 years of human resource, business and university-teaching experience. He has held executive human resource and diversity positions for companies ranging in size from $300M to $11B+ and has developed or implemented talent management programs, performance management systems, sales incentive plans, labor relations strategies, and large-scale culture change initiatives. Prior to MARTA, Shelton was a senior D&I leader at Oshkosh Corporation and Pennsylvania Power & Light (PPL) and Georgia Power. Based on the results achieved in these positions earned the reputation as a strategic, yet results-oriented HR, D&I business leader.

Shelton, the author of Diversity Managers: Angels of Mercy or Barbarians at the Gate, learned the value of diversity management first-hand by rolling up his sleeves and providing CEOs and senior executives with counsel, insight, resources, tools and innovative ideas that helped advanced their companies’ strategic business goals. For the last 10 years, he has leverage seasoned leadership and consulting skills to help companies implement diversity manage initiatives which enhanced their talent acquisition, employee retention, and employee engagement strategies.

Shelton has also used his knowledge and experience to teach and mentor others. In 1993, he was awarded the first-ever African American Doctoral Fellowship by Troy University and began teaching at the university in 1996. Since that time, he has been dedicated to helping adult learners achieve their educational goals. For example, as an Adjunct Professor at Troy University, Shelton taught thousands of students in school's Masters in Public Administration program. His teaching excellence was recognized when he received the schools prestigious Faculty Member of the Year Award in 2005. Shelton leveraged his extensive teaching experience to publish his first book, So You Think You Can Teach: A
Guide for the New College Professor in Teaching Adult Learners. He is also the founder and CEO of My ABD Network, an organization which helps students succeed in doctoral education programs.

Shelton, a highly-decorated Air Force veteran, has not only served the country in time of war but also consistently served his community in time of need. In July 2011, the Supreme Court of Georgia appointed him to the State Bar Ethics Investigative Panel. He was one of only three non-lawyers serving on this prestigious panel. He chaired the Conference Board Diversity and Inclusion Leadership Council and has served on the board of numerous professional organizations such as the Atlanta Compliance and Ethics Roundtable, American Association National of Blacks in Energy, Society for Human Resource Management, and the Atlanta and Diversity Management Advocacy Group. The National Association of African Americans in Human Resources awarded him their HR Trailblazer Award in 2005 and 2012 -- the only person selected for the award twice. In April 2013, the Technology Association of Georgia presented him with the organization's first Lifetime Achievement Award for his body of work in diversity and human resources.

Shelton received his Bachelor’s degree from Southwest Texas State University (now Texas State University) and his Master’s degree in Human Resource Management from Troy University. He obtained his Doctorate in Public Administration from the University of Alabama. Dr. Shelton Goode speaks nationally on a variety of public administration, human resource, ethics and diversity topics.