Shelbayah Consulting, LLC. is a communication expertise consulting firm providing businesses and individual professionals with internal and external media, public relations, public speaking, diversity training, coaching, writing and customized communication solutions. We have worked with clients, including the Carter Center, Atlanta Interfaith Broadcasting, VUMI to assist them with media and public relations work, social media campaigns, storytelling workshops, public speaking training, diversity training as well as life coaching. Additionally, Shelbayah Consulting has provided clients with motivational, inspirational and educational talks for major events speaking to audiences ranging from 30 to 500+ on varied customized topics per request.
Slma Shelbayah speaks at the first annual Shelbayah Consulting Compelling Storytellers Summit on November 9, 2019 at Flat Creek Country Club in Peachtree City, GA.
Slma Shelbayah is a former award-winning CNN journalist, adjunct professor, and marketing and communications executive. In 2015, she won the CNN Diversity Ovation Award for her commitment to inclusion in news coverage. Her background includes more than 15 years of experience as an executive, journalist, communication, and public relations expert in the media, management, DEI, human resources, and search industries. Her news career includes breaking news coverage with CNN International, spanning the regions of the Middle East, Asia, and Africa and varying across national and international topics, including stories covering Arab and Muslim Diasporas. For the second consecutive year, Women We Admire has recognized Shelbayah on the list of the Top 50 Women Leaders in GA for 2023 and 2024.
Shelbayah serves as the Chief Communications and Marketing Officer at Diversified Search Group, overseeing the internal and external communications strategy, marketing, public relations, and branding of all practices and companies acquired by the firm. Shelbayah came to Diversified Search Group by way of their latest acquisition, Yardstick Management, where she was the CCO and CMO contributing significantly to the sale, acquisition, merging, and integration of the business. Within six months, she was promoted to lead the entire firm in her current role.
Previously, she was the Corporate Director of Public Relations for Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), developing and executing effective public relations initiatives to elevate the university’s corporate identity both regionally and nationally by securing media coverage of SCAD students, signature events and the university president while fostering external relationships with partners and media across the globe. Before this role, Shelbayah spent most of her career in journalism across a variety of departments at CNN as a Producer, Assignment Editor, and Digital Writer.
Additionally, as the CEO of Shelbayah Consulting, LLC, a communication consultancy firm that was started in August 2015, Shelbayah assists clients in branding and communication strategy development, DEI communication, crisis communication, public and media relations, content development, storytelling, digital marketing, writing, and public speaking training. She holds an undergraduate degree in journalism with a minor in sociology and a Master's in Linguistics, with a focus on cross-cultural linguistics of Spanish and Arabic, both degrees from Georgia State University. She has also obtained a certificate from Oxford University, UK, during which students were selected from 30 countries across the world to pursue a seminar on Global Media Policy: Technology and New Themes in Media Regulations. She graduated from the prestigious leadership program, LEAD Atlanta, class of 2018, and the national New Leaders Council Atlanta Class of 2023.