Regional Director
Denise Shirley has 36 years of experience with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System. During her career she served as County Extension Coordinator in Hale, Sumter and Tuscaloosa Counties. While serving in this role she developed and served as project manager for multiple grant programs in dozens of rural Alabama counties. In addition to her regular supervisory responsibilities as Coordinator, she managed as many as four grant-funded programs simultaneously.
She completed needs assessments, developed programs, wrote grants, and executed over 50 contracts bringing millions of dollars to over a dozen rural Alabama counties. A large proportion of these contracts were granted by the Alabama Department of Public Health.
Denise was selected as co-liaison for the only National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (NEAFCS) meeting that Alabama has ever hosted. She provided leadership to committee chairs from all over the United States and served twice on the National stage in a leadership role. As a result, Alabama hosted over 800 NEAFCS members to our Magic City, Birmingham, bringing tourism dollars to our state.
The University of West Alabama is where she received her master’s degree in Continuing Education, and she received her Bachelor of Science from Auburn University in Family Resource Management. She is also a graduate of FACTS (Family and Child Training System), where she became a Certified Family Development Credential trainer.
Denise continues to pursue her need to help others. Most recently, she assists her church in their Operation Christmas Child’s goals. It is a great fit. She says she gets to shop, travel and help children at the same time.