Shakila Henderson-Baker is from Covington, Georgia. She earned her bachelor's degree in political science from Fort Valley State University and her master's degree in counseling from Troy University. She lives with her husband, Rodrick, and their two children in Covington, Georgia, and attends New Birth Missionary Baptist Church.

Shakila currently serves on the Newton County Board of Education, representing District 3. She was first elected 2010 and is in her fourth term.

Shakila previously worked as a utilization management coordinator at McIntosh Trail Community Service Board, a grief counselor at Rachel's Gift, a coordinator of volunteers at Longleaf Hospice and Palliative Care, a mental health clinician and on-call emergency crisis counselor, and a school youth counselor at Action, Inc.