ATLANTA, GA, October 05, 2023 - Sheryl Barnes has been included in Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.

Judge Barnes is an experienced accountant and attorney who has found success as a Magistrate Judge for the Fulton County Magistrate Court since 2020. She formerly spent over 15 years in the Office of the City of Atlanta Solicitor as a prosecutor and Senior Assistant Solicitor, trying various city ordinance cases and traffic violations and conducting preliminary hearings for misdemeanor and felony charges ranging from child molestation and theft to aggravated assault and murder. Additionally, Judge Barnes was an advisor and trainer on various legal issues for the Solicitor's Office, as well as an in-house defense attorney in the insurance sector. During an earlier stage of her career, she clerked for the Presiding Justice of the Georgia Supreme Court, Justice Robert Benham. Her expertise spans cases involving various criminal and civil matters.

Before becoming an attorney, Judge Barnes was a successful accountant for several public accounting firms and Fortune 500 companies. During her tenure, she was recognized as the first and only African American woman to be hired for her position in her first year at Grant Thornton (F/K/A Alexander Grant). Judge Barnes was also active in higher education as the Assistant Vice President of finance at Spelman College and professor of accounting, tax, and auditing courses at Oglethorpe University and Clark Atlanta University.

A leader in various civic endeavors, Judge Barnes has served on multiple boards, including as the National Audit Advisory Chair, National Audit Chair, National Strategic Planning Chair, and National Parliamentarian for National Drifters Inc., and as a board member for the Fortitude Educational and Cultural Development Center. Additionally, she has held several positions with the Georgia Real Estate Investors Association, including serving as the first Chair of Board of Directors, has been active with youth, elderly, and community initiatives, including the Atlanta Botanical Garden Placement Chair for Junior League of Atlanta, and is a Life Member of the Florida A&M University Alumni Association. Judge Barnes' vision for the future includes continuously introducing new opportunities that positively impact the community, particularly youth and young professionals, as they advance in their careers.

Judge Barnes graduated from Florida A&M University in 1981 with a Bachelor of Degree Science in accounting and economics, cum laude, and from Emory University School of Law with a Doctor of Jurisprudence in 1995. She also received credentials as a certified public accountant in the mid-1980s. Furthermore, Judge Barnes was notably a National Merit Achievement Scholar and received a full scholarship to attend Florida A&M University and a merit scholarship to Emory University. She also was recognized in Who's Who in American Universities and Colleges and as a member of Lamar Inns of Court.

In fulfilling her professional obligations, Judge Barnes is a member of the State Bar of Georgia audit committee, the Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys ("GABWA") and the Gate City Bar Association. She has served as an Emory University and Georgia Mock Trial Competition Judge/Evaluator/, member of the Georgia Center for Children Board of Directors as well. She also served as Vice President of the Atlanta chapter of the National Association of Black Accountants and remains active as a Golden Life Member of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., where she has served on numerous committees and as Parliamentarian.

As a testament to her hard work, Judge Barnes has been recognized with a National Drifters, Inc. Now Black Woman Award in 2019 and the GABWA TEAMWork Youth Summit that she chaired was the recipient of Public Service Award from the National Conference of the Women's Bar Association in 2016. She was also named to the Lee High School Hall of Fame in 2000. For her civic contributions, Judge Barnes was recognized as Big Brothers Big Sisters of America Mentor of the Year and the United Way Training and Development Volunteer Honor Roll. Notably, Judge Barnes is featured in the historic Holt Street Baptist Church Museum, the meeting place of the Montgomery bus boycott.

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Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Marquis celebrates its 125th anniversary in 2023, and Who's Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. Marquis® publications may be visited at the official Marquis Who's Who® website at www.marquiswhoswho.com.

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