Representative Leigh Davis Democrat - 3rd Berkshire

Leigh Davis is the first woman elected State Representative for the 3rd Berkshire District. A tireless advocate for working families, small businesses, underserved communities, and environmental sustainability, Leigh is committed to breaking down barriers, fostering equity, and responsibly stewarding resources. 

Leigh moved to Great Barrington in 2009 following a successful career in Los Angeles as a film studio and television editor. Her expertise later led her to academia, where she served as a tenured lecturer and chair of the Department of Film and Television at the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology in Ireland. 

Her leadership spans numerous sectors. As marketing director for the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center, she expanded educational programs and bolstered local economic growth. Later, as development director for Eagle Mill, she secured millions in federal and state funding to transform a historic mill into a vibrant mixed-use space. As communications director for the region’s largest affordable housing nonprofit, she spearheaded the adaptive reuse of historic properties into much-needed workforce housing, paired with an innovative on-demand micro-transit service. 

Leigh’s public service began in 2013 on the Great Barrington Finance Committee. Elected to the Selectboard in 2019, she served two terms as vice chair, chaired the town’s Housing Subcommittee, and was vice chair of the Economic Development Committee. 

Born in Washington, D.C., and raised in Maryland in a biracial family, Leigh was immersed in public service from an early age. Her father, Lloyd, was a civil rights activist, senior HUD advisor, and Korean War veteran credited as an architect of the Martin Luther King Jr. federal holiday. Her mother, Mary Kay, worked for over 20 years alongside Peace Corps founder Sargent Shriver. 

A proud solo parent of three, Leigh celebrates her children’s accomplishments. Her youngest daughter is a U.S. Air Force Academy cadet, her son conducts vaccine research at Moderna, and her eldest daughter studies political science at George Washington University. 

Leigh holds a B.S. from Ithaca College and an M.A. from the National University of Ireland.