Maria Ricks

Director

Maria Ricks has served on the Board of Directors of the Shelton Heritage Society since the spring of 2025. A proud Chattanooga native and graduate of Riverside High School, she is deeply rooted in the legacy of the Shelton family. Maria is the great-granddaughter of Peter and Mary Shelton Powell—both buried in the Shelton Family Cemetery at Possum Trot—through her mother, Vivian Powell Greene, daughter of Corporal Calvin Powell and Louise Carter.

Maria holds degrees in early childhood education and applied science in health information management, as well as a certificate in health information management from Chattanooga State Community College. She retired from Erlanger Health System after 27 years of service as a medical coder and continues to support the field through contract work.

For over five decades, Maria has been a passionate advocate for Chattanooga’s African American youth and a dedicated school volunteer, with long-term involvement at Riverside High School, Orchard Knob Elementary, Orchard Junior High, and Howard High School, where she continues to serve.

Her enduring commitment to education and community has earned her several awards, including the Excellence in Public Education Award, the Chattanooga African American Museum Volunteer Service Award, and multiple recognitions from local schools for her service and leadership.

Maria is the wife of fellow Shelton Heritage Society board member George Ricks. Together, they have shared a lifelong commitment to education, family, and preserving African American history—especially the legacy of the Shelton family. Through their service and example, they continue to uplift future generations and honor the roots that connect their family to the Shelton family’s story.