Alex Denis to lead communications for Department of Children’s Services

(NASHVILLE) Alex Denis, former News Anchor for WKRN-News 2 in Nashville, has joined the Executive Leadership team at the Department of Children’s Services. She brings nearly two decades of experience covering and reporting on local, state, and national interests, sharing stories that capture major events and make them connect with her audience.

Commissioner Margie Quin said, “Alex joining our team adds another dimension in connecting our work at the Department of Children’s Services with the people of Tennessee. Every day, we are connecting children with an opportunity for a better future. Alex has created those stories for a variety of audiences and knows how to connect the work we do with the people we serve.”

Denis is a six-time Emmy award-winning journalist. During the past 17 years, she’s covered major national stories through interviews and relationships that make her reports relevant to her audience. At WKRN-News 2, she shared stories on the 2020 tornados in Middle Tennessee, the Christmas Day bombing in Nashville, the devastating floods in Waverly, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Her special report, Unspeakable Crimes: What Parents Need to Know, earned top regional recognition by the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.

“I view this new opportunity at DCS as another way to bring people together and this time with a focus on children,” Denis said. A mother of two, she understands the impact family has on the development and growth of a child. “A strong family environment, however defined, makes a difference in the life of a child,” Denis continues. “Drawing on my skills as a journalist to share the opportunities, the challenges, and ultimately the rewards of a welcoming family is what motivates me in this next chapter of my professional life.”

Quin said our focus at DCS is building a strong team, creating great bench strength that reinforces our work with children, and connecting with great partners, who share our commitment to children. “Alex will lead us in telling the story of DCS, the children of Tennessee, and our drive to ensure every child in our state has a loving family.”

Prior to her time in Tennessee, Alex spent 8 years on CBS New York’s morning show where she launched the company’s first 24-hour streaming news service, CBSN-New York. While in New York City, Alex was recognized on billboards in Times Square for her efforts to help stop distracted driving with the non-profit Project Yellow Light.

A Florida native, she graduated magna cum laude from the University of South Florida with a Mass Communications degree.

Alex is married to a combat Veteran Infantry Officer of both the 101st & 82nd Airborne Divisions. The couple has a son and daughter.