LORI BURNEY, MPA
Executive Director
Lori Burney joined the Mental Fitness Team in July 2019 as a Development Consultant to assist with fundraising strategies and strategic planning. In Spring 2020, the organization’s Founder & Board of Directors selected Ms. Burney to serve in the role of Executive Director. She brings more than 20 years of marketing, management and nonprofit experience to Mental Fitness. Lori’s professional career began in 1998 as the Advertising Manager for The Greenville News Media Group. Her desire to serve the community eventually led Ms. Burney to earn a Master of Public Administration and Nonprofit Management (MPA) degree from Clemson University. Since 2014, she has served as a Nonprofit Leadership Consultant for various charitable organizations including LiveWell Greenville, Harvest Hope Food Bank, the South Carolina Land Trust Network and The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
LEE SHIRLEY, M.Ed.
Program Director
Lee Shirley is a Spartanburg native and has served as Program Director for Mental Fitness since March 2018. After graduating from Spartanburg High School in 2005, Ms. Shirley attended Clemson University where she studied Education. Her passion and interest in child development eventually led Lee to earn a Master of Education (M.Ed.) degree in School Counseling from The Citadel Graduate College. She began her professional career by serving as a school counselor for the Beaufort County School District and eventually returned home to Spartanburg and joined the staff at Pine Street Elementary School. In her current role with Mental Fitness, Ms. Shirley leads training sessions for educators and administrators to teach youth healthy ways to cope with stress and to manage their emotions.