Cultural and Historic Preservation

Serving in the Mayor’s Office in Birmingham, Alabama, Denise led the efforts to stand up the Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument created in January 2017 by President Barack Obama. Denise led the $11.1 million restoration of the historic A.G. Gaston Motel, a Green Book site, on behalf of the City of Birmingham and in partnership with the National Park Service. The Gaston Motel reopened to the public in June 2023 after being closed for more than thirty years. The success was created from the partnership with the Civil Rights District Stakeholders to advocate, preserve and promote the historic sites and district. During her tenure, Denise also served as Special Director of Transition at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute during COVID. She successfully reopened the Institute after an eight-month COVID shutdown, working with the Board of Directors to create a long-term sustainable plan.