About Rusty Shelton

Rusty Shelton first spoke at Harvard on the changing world of public relations at the age of 23.

As President + CEO of Shelton Interactive, an interactive agency focused on authors and publishers, he works with authors and publishers to design and develop digital platforms focused on generating more media attention and better social media buzz.

Prior to founding Shelton Interactive, Rusty spent more than seven years (including three and half as Managing Director) at one of the nation’s oldest and most respected literary publicity firms. Founded in 1994, the company has promoted more than 40 bestsellers, winning several PR awards and earning wide recognition as one of the top PR agencies in publishing. During Shelton’s tenure as Managing Director he took the company in a new direction, focusing as much on digital media and social media strategy as traditional media promotion. This produced a great impact on the success of the company’s clients. During his time as Managing Director, he oversaw campaigns for more than half of the company’s 40 bestsellers.

After launching Shelton Interactive, he almost immediately signed on numerous top brands, including Chicken Soup for the Soul, Cave Henricks Communications (the country’s top business book PR firm), Harvard Health Publications, Nicholas Brealey Publishing and others. In just six months, the agency has generated significant buzz and handled four bestsellers, including Saving Max, Empowered, You Already Know How to be Great and The Corporate Lattice.

A frequent speaker on the changing world of public relations, Shelton has been a faculty member at the Harvard Medical School Department of Continuing Education’s Publishing Course for the past seven years. He also sits on the University of Texas Texas Exes PR Committee. He lives in Austin, TX with his wife and two young sons.

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