Shalini Khanna Charles is the Founder and Director of Atithi Vriksha Shiksha Pvt Ltd that brings hospitality education to the grassroots in Kodagu, by partnering with the Department of Tourism, and other NGOs in the region to educate and provide employment opportunities for the local youth. She has initiated many programs under NSDC for the likes of FICCI FLO, Hasirudala and Parikrama. She is Director of Public Relations and Marketing at Skal International Asia.

As a former hotelier, she worked with the Taj Group of Hotels, and has a wide range of experience running a call centre, training corporate clients, and running climate change education programs in schools. A hospitality educator by profession, she was the Director for IIHM Bangalore from 2011 to 2018.

She was instrumental in starting Project Green Diamond, at Diamond District, a campaign that has evolved to become a standard practice for SWM in apartment communities in Bangalore - from engaging with the children, to designing communication material, creating working groups and training and incentivising housekeeping staff for better collection.