Shayla J. Nealy is a Councilmember in Union City, GA. As one of the community's final decision-makers she devotes her official time to problems of basic policy and is a liaison between the city and the general public. On a more global scale, Nealy has prioritized cultural, political, and interfaith dialogues through experiences serving as a mentor to the Young Elected Officials Network, the American Council of Young Political Leaders, and most recently, as a delegate on the American Israel Education Foundation trip to Israel.

Since 2013, Nealy helped to secure five large Fortune 500 companies (5,000 new jobs) along with several million dollars in private investments and acquired nearly $600,000 in federal funding. The most notable endeavor to date is turning a vacant mall into Atlanta Metro Studios- one of the largest purpose-built television and film studio facilities in the state.

She is the Water Resources Engineer for Clayton County Water Authority. Nealy earned a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Central Michigan University and Bachelor’s in Biological Systems Engineering from Florida A&M University.

She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, Nu Lambda Omega Chapter and is featured as a Pioneering Member in Government, which will be in the sorority’s historical archives, as shown at the Open Doors Museum at the 2016 Biennial Convention.

She is a graduate of New Leaders Council (2012), Jewell Jackson McCabe Emerging Leader Institute, Inc. (2013), Water Professionals Leadership Academy (2014), Regional Leadership Institute (2015), and Leadership Buckhead (2017). She is also an advisor to the Atlanta Regional Commission as a Flint River Basin Advisory Council member, and technical support to the cATLyst initiative.

In her spare time, she is a noted panelist, mentor and supporter of many community arms. This keeps her grounded by maintaining a regard and concern for the wellbeing of people; giving aid and empowering them to experience a higher quality of life. As a testament to her professional dedication and service relations, Nealy is the 2016 Jack C. Dozier Emerging Leader of the statewide Georgia Association of Water Professionals, included in the 2016 and 2015 “Most Influential” category of Who’s Who in Black Atlanta, honored as a 2014 Atlanta Business Chronicle’s 40 Under 40 recipient, and Georgia’s Best and Brightest in the 2011 Georgia Trend 40 Under 40.