Commissioner Vice President Debra M. Davis, Esq. (District 2) is one of only 25 women nationwide selected to participate in the Governing Institute’s 2017 Women in Government Leadership Program. GOVERNING Magazine, a leading government publication, recognizes state and local women elected officials each year for the bipartisan national program. The Women in Government Leadership Program acknowledges the work of women public servants, provides leadership training and critical job skills, and builds a mentoring network for future women government leaders.
“More than one hundred women were nominated for this distinguished leadership program, and it is truly an honor to be one of the few selected for the Class of 2017,” said Davis. “I appreciate this unique opportunity to meet and engage with other government leaders across the country. It’s a remarkable way for Maryland and Charles County to be recognized.”
Davis, a local practicing attorney, was first elected to the Charles County Board of Commissioners in 2010, and is currently serving a second term. Davis spearheaded efforts to establish the Vision 2020 Program, a comprehensive, holistic program aimed at reducing poverty in rural areas. Davis is chair of the Tri-County Council for Southern Maryland and the Local Government Insurance Trust Board of Trustees. She also serves on several statewide, regional, and local boards.
The Daily Record named Davis as one of Maryland’s Top 100 women in 2012 and 2014, and inducted her into the Maryland’s Top 100 Women Circle of Excellence in 2016, for her leadership and community service. A consummate student of leadership, Davis completed the University of Maryland’s Academy for Excellence in Local Governance professional development program in August 2012. She is a 2009 graduate of Leadership Southern Maryland, a 1999 Maryland State Bar Association Leadership Fellow, and served on the African American Leadership Summit for the U.S. Congress in 2004.
Davis holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Maryland in Criminology and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Baltimore’s School of Law.
The Governing Institute advances better government by improving performance and outcomes through research, decision support and executive education to help public sector leaders govern more effectively. Citizens with special needs may contact the Maryland Relay Service at 711, or Relay Service TDD: 800-735-2258.