Cyrus Shirley was presented with the Stancliff Boone Communicable Disease Specialist Award during the 2022 GPHA Annual Meeting and Conference on Jekyll Island. The Stancliff Boone Communicable Disease Specialist Award is an annual award for outstanding contributions to the critical work done by communicable disease specialist. This award recognizes one communicable disease specialist for contributions that resulted in positive disease intervention activities within the state of Georgia.

Originally from Miami, Shirley graduated from South Miami High in 1982 and enrolled at Fort Valley State University more than a year later. After graduating from FVSU, he lived in Fort Valley for the next two years, working as an assistant food service director in the campus cafeteria for Aramark.

Shirley started his career in public health with the WIC program in 1991 as a nutritionist for North Central Health District, where he worked for 10 years. In 2001, Shirley moved into several various roles within the Communicable Disease Program. He has served as a Health Educator, Communicable Disease Specialist, Linkage Coordinator, and most recently became acting manager for the Communicable Disease program for NCHD.

Shirley has been married for the last 22 years and has 2 children.