Sheffield Hale is President & CEO of Atlanta History Center. Founded in 1926, Atlanta History Center is dedicated to connecting people, history and culture to facilitate dialogue and new perspectives. The institution includes a 175,000 sq foot museum and The Battle of Atlanta Cyclorama, the 33-acre Goizueta Gardens, Kenan Research Center and Archive, 4 historic houses, and a range of digital experiences and educational programs.
Born in Atlanta, Sheffield’s dedication to and enthusiasm for the work of the Center is rooted in his strong sense of community and a desire to preserve and explore Atlanta history. That sense of community, along with his legal background and nonprofit Board experience, shapes his approach to leading the Center.
Under Sheffield’s leadership, Atlanta History Center has focused on addressing issues of history and memory that divide our community and country. Two key aspects have been the Center’s nationwide Confederate Monuments Initiative, which focuses on providing historical information and tools for communities deciding whether to contextualize, remove, or otherwise engage with monuments or named places, and the development of Guiding Principles defining how the Center will approach history in a way that cultivates broader, communitywide perspectives.
Sheffield has served on many boards and commissions, namely for historic preservation, cultural, and civic organizations. In recognition for this work, he has been named one of Georgia’s and Atlanta’s 100 most influential people in various media.
Sheffield previously served for ten years as Chief Counsel of the American Cancer Society, Inc. During his tenure, he was a strong advocate and author on the importance of best practices in nonprofit management. Prior to that that he was a Partner at Kilpatrick Townsend and Stockton practicing Corporate, Securities and Banking Law.
