Shermanetta Carter is a Certified Public Accountant, accomplished author, and transformative leader in higher education finance. She currently serves as the Chief Financial Officer at Morris Brown College in Atlanta, Georgia, where she has been instrumental in the historic resurgence of the storied HBCU.

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A proud Morris Brown alumna, Carter graduated in 1994 with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting. As a first-generation college student who relied on federal financial aid, she knows firsthand the power of education to change lives and has dedicated her career to making that access possible for others. Before returning to her alma mater in an executive role, she worked as a revenue agent for the Internal Revenue Service and built a successful career in business consulting, nonprofit finance, and audit services.

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Since joining Morris Brown College in 2019, Carter has led the institution through one of the most significant financial turnarounds in HBCU history. Under her leadership, the college regained full accreditation in 2022 after a two-decade lapse. She oversaw the restoration of federal financial aid and veterans’ benefits, opening the doors once again for low-income and first-generation students. Her stewardship also earned the college its highest-ever composite financial responsibility score of 3.0 and an unqualified audit opinion, clear indicators of sound fiscal management and transparency.

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Carter is also the author of Balancing Books and Building Dreams, a personal and professional memoir that explores the intersection of faith, finance, and purpose. Through her writing, she shares lessons from her journey and inspires others, especially Black women and young professionals to pursue financial literacy, leadership, and legacy with boldness and integrity.

 

Her impact has earned recognition beyond campus. In 2022, she was honored as a finalist for CFO of the Year by the Atlanta Business Chronicle and recognized during Women’s History Month by the Alpha Alpha Pi Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® for her outstanding leadership in the HBCU community.

 

Whether she’s leading fiscal strategy, mentoring future accountants, or speaking to audiences about purpose-driven leadership, Shermanetta Carter remains rooted in her mission: to balance the books while building dreams—for herself, her students, and her community.