A native of Talladega, Alabama, Burnes became interested in preservation in first grade, when her teacher took her class on a walk in the Silk Stocking District neighborhood that surrounded her elementary school. Her “ah-hah” moment came when she saw the Purefoy Home on South Street. She realized the beauty of architecture and learned not to dismiss structures just because they are old. She and her husband Brian have restored four homes in Marion, as well as their current home in Livingston. Cedarwood is one of four structures on the UWA campus in which Burnes has been involved in the moving and restoration process.