Leigh Davis is the first woman elected to represent the 3rd Berkshire District in the Massachusetts House of Representatives.
She is a strong advocate for dignified and attainable housing, public education, accessible healthcare, environmental sustainability, and resilient economic development.

Leigh champions working families and farmers, small businesses and entrepreneurs, veterans and their families, public health providers, and the first responders who keep communities safe. A dedicated supporter of arts and culture, she uplifts historically underserved people and works to build a Commonwealth where every community has the foundation to thrive.
 

A longtime supporter of unions and workers, Leigh was a proud member of the Motion Picture Editors Guild (IATSE Local 700) and the Teachers' Union of Ireland. She is also a member of the Massachusetts Black and Latino Legislative Caucus and the Massachusetts Caucus of Women Legislators.

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From Lived Experience to Legislative Action

Leigh Davis brings a grounded, real-world perspective to public service. As a solo parent of three, she balanced multiple jobs, relied on programs like WIC and SNAP, and even started her own small business to support local seniors.

A strong believer in community service, one of the first things she did after arriving from Ireland was train and volunteer as a hospice companion at HospiceCare in the Berkshires. Years later, during the pandemic, she and her children volunteered every week at The People’s Pantry after she was laid off from work. These experiences give her a deep understanding of the challenges many families face — and they drive her commitment to crafting practical, people-centered solutions.
 

After more than a decade teaching in Ireland, Leigh returned to the U.S. with her children in 2009. A New Year’s Eve snowstorm stranded her overnight in Great Barrington, and the town left a lasting impression. A year later, she returned to make the Berkshires home. Starting over in a new community, she rebuilt her life through resilience, community, and determination — the same values she now brings to her work on Beacon Hill.

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A Proven Record of Getting Things Done

In her first year as State Representative, Leigh was named a “Lawmaker to Watch” by The Boston Globe, a “Politician to Watch in 2025” by MassLive, and featured in State House News. Recognized as a changemaker shaping New England’s future, she was invited to participate virtually in the Boston Globe’s annual Globe Summit, the organization’s flagship gathering of decision-makers and innovators. She also spoke on the “Women Leaders Driving Change” panel at the Health Equity Summit sponsored by Sanofi and The Boston Globe.
 

Leigh filed legislation to improve the state’s EMS system, strengthen student protection laws, and advance regional equity in state funding — including proposals to accelerate local bridge repairs, expand rural microtransit, support school regionalization efforts, establish peer-run respite centers, and launch a farm-to-institution pilot program to bolster local food systems and support Massachusetts farmers.

 

A strong advocate for public education, Leigh served on the community-led grassroots committee to rebuild Monument Mountain Regional High School, a project recently approved by voters.

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Career in Film & Television

Before entering public service, Leigh built a successful career in film and television. From 1990 to 1998, she lived in Los Angeles and worked her way up from production assistant to full editor. A proud member of the Motion Picture Editors Guild (IATSE Local 700), she contributed to major studio productions at Universal, Warner Bros., Paramount, Sony, Amblin, DreamWorks, and others. Her work included network television, including editing for Law & Order.
 

After relocating to Ireland, Leigh continued her creative career internationally, editing feature films for legendary producer Roger Corman at Concorde Anois (Concorde Studios) in Galway, part of Ireland’s tax-credit-supported film boom. Her industry experience eventually led her into academia, where she became a tenured lecturer and Chair of the Department of Film and Television at the Galway–Mayo Institute of Technology, while mentoring emerging filmmakers through the Galway Film Centre (now Ardán) and contributing to Ireland’s vibrant screen industry.

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Economic Development & Housing Leadership

Leigh has long been a force behind transformative community projects. As Director of Development for the $80 million revitalization of Eagle Mill in Lee, she secured millions in federal and state funding for a project that combines historic preservation with affordable housing, commercial space, and job creation.

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As Communications Director at Construct—the Berkshires’ largest affordable housing nonprofit—Leigh led a major three-year fundraising and outreach effort that expanded housing resources in the region and helped secure the Windflower Inn for workforce housing. She also supported the expansion of a microtransit pilot that provided much-needed last-mile transportation for seniors, people with disabilities, workers, and their families.

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Leigh has served as Marketing Director of the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center, advisor to the Berkshire Busk! street festival, and a board member of Saint James Place. She shaped regional strategy through leadership roles on the 1Berkshire Board, the Berkshire Blueprint 2.0 Advisory Council, and the Berkshire Leadership Impact Council.

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Local Leadership, Statewide Vision

Leigh’s public service began on the Great Barrington Finance Committee in 2013. She was elected to the Selectboard in 2019, serving two terms as Vice Chair, where she led efforts on housing, infrastructure, economic development, and environmental protection. As Chair of the Housing Subcommittee and Vice Chair of the Economic Development Committee, she advanced policies to expand housing opportunity and strengthen the local economy. She authored a comprehensive short-term rental bylaw to protect local housing, partnered with parents and MassDOT to improve safety near schools, and pushed for greater local input and accountability in the GE Housatonic River cleanup. 

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Family and Foundations

Leigh was born in Washington, D.C., and raised just outside the city in a biracial household rooted in public service. Her mother, Mary Kay, spent over 20 years as assistant to Sargent Shriver, founder of the Peace Corps and Special Olympics. Her father, Lloyd Davis, was a Korean War Army Sergeant Major and senior HUD advisor who helped establish the department’s first voluntary fair housing and minority business enterprise programs, oversaw the first racial integration effort at Fort Leonard Wood, and is widely credited as one of the architects of the Martin Luther King Jr. national holiday.
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Leigh holds a Bachelor of Science from Ithaca College and a Master of Arts from the National University of Ireland, Galway.

Leigh raised her three children entirely on her own. Her youngest daughter is a cadet at the United States Air Force Academy, her son works for multinational pharmaceutical packaging company in the Berkshires, and her eldest daughter is a recent George Washington University political science graduate.

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