A product of Long Island, NY and Lawrenceville, GA, Shallum Atkinson is a lawyer, public speaker, former political staffer, golfing fanatic and a proud mentor. Shallum works in the litigation department at O’Melveny & Myers, LLP. Prior to, Shallum worked for three Members of Congress from the states of NY, IL, and NJ, rising to the ranks of Senior Policy Adviser focusing on cryptocurrency and digital assets, agriculture, financial services, education, judiciary and civil rights portfolios. In between his stints on Capitol Hill, Shallum also worked at the American Council on Education on the government relations team focusing on all things education policy.

Outside of work, he serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Omicron Lambda Alpha Charitable Foundation, on the Alumni Board of Directors for the University of Georgia School of Public and International Affairs, as a Board Member of the Georgia State Society, and as a board member for the Social Golf Association, a golf community designed to bring together golfers in social settings. In the past, he served as the Vice President for the Omicron Lambda Alpha Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., a board member for the DC Chapter of the UGA Alumni Association, an advisory committee appointee for DC Mayor Muriel Bowser’s Higher Education Licensure Commission, and a board member of the Congressional Black Associates, a staff association in the United States Congress. Shallum serves as a mentor for the UGA Mentor Program, mentors at the First Tee of Greater Washington, DC and volunteers at the Capital Area Food Bank and ‘Loaves and Fishes.’

Shallum has spoken on numerous panels and webinars as well as delivered keynote speeches over the years, notably serving as Law School Commencement Speaker in 2024 at the George Washington University Law School, and Graduate Commencement Speaker at American University in 2019. Shallum believes in the power of words and hopes to continue to inspire the next class of leaders and political activists.

Shallum achieved his J.D. at the George Washington University Law School, his Masters in Education Policy from The American University, and received a Bachelors of Arts in Political Science and a Bachelor of Arts in Public Affairs Journalism from the University of Georgia.