Shanelle Booker, 39

First Assistant U.S. Attorney, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia

Tell us about your calling. What brought you to your career field?

I became a lawyer because I consider it an honor to help people who may not have the ability to advocate for themselves. Being a lawyer is a true calling because it is not an easy educational path or career. I became an Assistant U.S. Attorney, however, because I consider it a privilege to serve the American people. I come from a family of public servants, both civilian and military, so I am proud to continue that family tradition.

What other activities are you involved in where you contribute to your community? Especially mention what you’re most excited about.

I love volunteering with young adults and children. I have mentored juvenile girls at the Macon Regional Youth Detention Center through the Girl Squad Mentoring Program, and I support efforts to improve the literacy rate of students at Burdell-Hunt Elementary through the United Way of Central Georgia’s Read United Program by tutoring students in reading. I have been a part of both of these initiatives for a number of years, and I love learning from these young people while also sharing my experiences with them. Additionally, I am an active member at Bibb Mount Zion Baptist Church, and I serve as an adjunct professor at Mercer University. 

What are you personally committed to accomplishing in Macon and why?

I’m personally committed to addressing violent crime in Macon and reducing the frequency in which such crimes are committed by youth and young adults. Eradicating all crime is not a realistic goal, but I sincerely believe we can reduce the amount of violent crime committed by young people. This is not just a Macon problem, of course, but since I live, work, and play in Macon, I have a vested interest in helping to reduce the amount of violent crime committed by people who have a majority of their lives ahead of them. Preventing young adults and youth from ever entering into the criminal justice system is something that I am very passionate about.

How do you think Macon is aligning to open the door wider for more people to feel included and share in our success? How has that shaped your values and actions?

I think nearly everything that NewTown Macon does opens the door wider for more people to feel included and share in our success. From the Entrepreneur’s Academy to the Downtown Diversity Initiative, the whole organization represents what makes Macon a uniquely fascinating place that provides a warm reception for anyone coming to our fair city. Being a former downtown resident and witnessing the different ways NewTown and other organizations love on our city helped me commit to living in Macon and getting involved in my own way.

What needs to change to encourage continued progress in our city?

I think our education system, both public and private, needs to change to continue progress in our city. The next generation spends most of their time in a school building on a daily basis, so what happens in those walls is critically important to the progress in our city and any kind of future we hope to build. 

When you talk about Macon to people who don’t live here, what do you tell them?

I tell them that Macon is a satisfying slice of southern comfort. Big enough to have some modern luxuries but small enough where it feels like one big neighborhood. Three places that I think everyone who comes to Macon should go: The Ocmulgee Mounds National Historic Park, the Otis Redding Museum, and Capricorn Studios Museum.

As you look to the future, what are your professional and personal goals?

That is a great question. When getting ready to graduate high school, I thought I had my whole life mapped out: graduate college by 22, land a job teaching theatre, get married by 25, and have three kids by 30. I laugh now because not a single one of those things actually happened.      I share that to say – life is at its best when you leave room for change. When you plan for transformation. When you understand that your opportunities are only as limited as the boundaries you place on yourself. Some of the most meaningful experiences in my life came from stepping outside my comfort zone and saying yes” to something new, different, even scary. That includes my journey with Theatre Macon.

Kelly Clarkson said it best: “Take a risk, take a chance, make a change.” And I have found that every leap has led me somewhere worth going.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?

Two moments stand out as especially meaningful in my journey. The first was being hired as the Artistic Director of Theatre Macon – a place that has become both a creative home and a platform for community connection. The second was being elected as the first Black President of the Board of Directors for the Educational Theatre Association, the national organization for school theatre. Both milestones represent not only personal achievements, but also a commitment to service, representation, and the transformative power of the arts. 

What are you personally committed to accomplishing in Macon and why?

I am deeply committed to fostering a safe and inclusive environment – not just within the walls of Theatre Macon, but throughout our broader community. My goal is to continue creating spaces where individuals feel seen, heard, and empowered to live as their most authentic selves.

When people are recognized and valued for their individuality, they are more willing—and more able—to contribute meaningfully to the collective. We cannot expect anyone to invest in a community that does not invest in them in return. The relationship must be symbiotic. It must be intentional.