A native Memphian, Denise DuBois Taylor attended St. Mary’s Episcopal School and graduated from Central High. She majored in the visual and performing arts at UT-Knoxville and studied communications in the master’s program at the New School for Social Research in NYC. She began her career in broadcasting as a copywriter and commercial producer/announcer at WMC-FM100/AM79 before moving to NYC, where she worked in advertising for four years. Denise returned to Memphis in 1981 as head of recruitment advertising for John Malmo & Associates. A year later, she joined WMC-TV, where she spent 10 years as co-anchor of the morning show, "Wake Up Call," as co-host of the annual New Year’s Eve broadcast. She did this part-time while also working as Communications Supervisor for Holiday Inns, Inc. After nine years with Holiday Inns, she joined WMC full-time, adding duties as a general assignments and entertainment reporter for the next four years.

In 1994, Denise joined the Memphis Convention & Visitors Bureau (MCVB) as Vice President of Communications and Public Relations. In 2003, she joined GSL as Director of Development. That same year, her guidebook, A Parent’s Guide to Memphis, was published by Bluff City Books. Denise has served on numerous boards and with a variety of volunteer organizations, including the Junior League of Memphis, Le Bonheur Art with Heart, Panola Playhouse, the Baddour Center, and Leadership Memphis. 

Taylor lives on a farm in Como, MS, with her husband, Sledge, one cat, three dogs and five horses. Her stepson, Andrew, graduated from GSL and MTSU. Her son, Will, graduated from GSL and is now a student at Princeton.