Charles Shapiro

Professor of the Practice, Diplomat-in-Residence

Member Of:
  • Sam Nunn School of International Affairs
Office Phone: (404) 894-3195
Office Location: Habersham
Email Address: cshapiro30@gatech.edu

Overview

Ambassador (ret.) Charles Shapiro is a Professor of Practice at the Nunn School of International Affairs at Georgia Tech, President Emeritus of the World Affairs Council of Atlanta, a senior advisor at the Pendleton Group, and co-founder of Art of Diplomacy Tours. 

During his 34-year career at the U.S. Department of State, Shapiro served as Ambassador to Venezuela, Acting Assistant Secretary for the Western Hemisphere, and Coordinator for Cuban Affairs and was posted to Denmark, El Salvador, Trinidad and Tobago, Chile and Venezuela.  

In 2011 Shapiro became the president of the Institute of the Americas, a think tank at the University of California San Diego. In 2014 he became president of the World Affairs Council of Atlanta. While at the Council, he taught international business at the Robinson College of Business at Georgia State University. 

Shapiro has published op-eds in the Atlanta Journal Constitution, the Toronto Star, the Atlanta Business Chronicle, the Miami Herald, the San Diego Union Tribune, and the Los Angeles Times and is a regular commentator on Latin America for news broadcasts including BBC, CBS, Sky News, CNN, and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

 

Education:
  • M Ed., Secondary Education, Georgia State University
  • BA, University of Pennsylvania

Interests

Teaching Interests:
US Policy in Latin America, especially political transitions.
Research Interests:
Venezuela, Cuba, Greenland. Secure Transaction Reform.
Geographic
Focuses:
  • Latin America and Caribbean

Publications

Updated:  Feb 17th, 2026 at 9:48 AM