Born in 1946, Shirley M. Debrow grew up in North Carolina with her parents and two brothers. After graduating from high school in 1964, she moved to Philadelphia, PA, with an aunt. Ms. Debrow later moved to Washington, DC, in 1966, where she has lived ever since. In Washington, Ms. Debrow attended Federal City College (now UDC) and came under the mentorship of DC community activist, Kimi Gray. With the help of Gray, Ms. Debrow opened a daycare center and served as the center's director. She also worked on the campaigns of DC Mayor Marion Barry. Ms. Debrow began a long and successful career as a recreation specialist with the DC Department of Parks and Recreation in 1987, working most recently at the Volta Park Recreation Center in Georgetown. Ms. Debrow loves to travel, enjoys outdoor activities and lives an active and healthy lifestyle. She also had one son, Steven, who was born in 1968.