ABOUT LEIGH
Leigh Davis, the Democrat nominee for 3rd Berkshire District State Representative, is an advocate for housing that is affordable, education and healthcare that are accessible, and protecting the environment. She is a fighter for working families, veterans, seniors, small businesses and farms, and historically vulnerable and underserved communities. A staunch supporter of unions and workers, Leigh served as a proud member of the Motion Picture Editors Guild (MPEG), IATSE Local 700, and The Teachers' Union of Ireland (TUI).
In 2009, Leigh relocated from Galway, Ireland, to Great Barrington with her three children. She enrolled them in Berkshire Hills public schools and started volunteering for local groups, including HospiceCare in the Berkshires, Volunteers in Medicine, People’s Pantry, and Great Barrington Land Conservancy.
Leigh soon became a fixture in the Berkshire nonprofit and business sectors, working for the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center, The Berkshire Eagle, and Eagle Mill Redevelopment. During her years in the Town of Lee as Director of Development of Eagle Mill, she took a leading role in the development and funding of the $80 million revitalization of the historic 1808 paper mill, securing millions in federal and state funding for the mixed-use project.
Leigh’s career in local politics began on the Great Barrington Finance Committee in 2015, followed by election to the Great Barrington Selectboard in 2019.
Currently serving her second term as vice chair of the Great Barrington Selectboard, Leigh is also chair of the housing subcommittee, sits on the Lake Mansfield Improvement Task Force and Community Preservation Committee, and serves as the Selectboard liaison to the W.E.B. Du Bois Legacy Committee.
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Leigh is the communications director at Construct, the largest affordable housing nonprofit in the Southern Berkshires. In 2022, she was instrumental in acquiring The Windflower Inn for workforce housing, leveraging her skills and experience to support economic development. Leigh serves on the board of 1Berkshire and Saint James Place and was appointed to the Berkshire Blueprint 2.0 Advisory Council.
Leigh has been very active in the community on many issues:
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Advocating for Local Control: Just two months into her term on the Selectboard, Leigh uncovered a loophole in a pending horseracing bill that threatened residents' rights. She took the fight to the State House, ensuring that Great Barrington maintained local control over its own affairs. READ HERE: Article 1. Article 2
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Championing Workforce Housing: When two local business owners' plans for workforce housing were in jeopardy, Leigh took action to help bring their vision to life. South County now has 13 additional units of workforce housing. READ HERE
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Protecting Housing from Predatory Corporations: Seeing the threat of corporations converting much-needed housing for residents into vacation rentals, Leigh crafted a short-term rental bylaw and fought hard to get it passed, helping to safeguard the community’s housing stock. READ HERE
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Improving Safety Near Schools: When parents raised concerns about a dangerous intersection near Monument Mountain Regional High School, Leigh successfully lobbied the state Department of Transportation to install a new safety system, making the area safer for students. families and staff.
READ HERE.
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Advocating for Lee: When GE refused to meaningfully discuss using rail in their proposed transportation plan to clean up the UDF (Upland Disposal Facility), Leigh advocated for Lee residents, successfully persuading the Great Barrington Selectboard to support the Town of Lee's request to release the Rest of River executive session. READ HERE (1) READ HERE (2)
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Leigh was born in Washington, D.C., and raised in Maryland just over the District line by her parents, Lloyd and Mary Kay. Leigh proudly follows in their footsteps as an active public servant. Leigh’s mother was the dedicated assistant for over 20 years to the founder of the Peace Corps, Job Corps, and the Special Olympics, Sargent Shriver. Leigh’s father was a civil rights activist and Korean War veteran and is widely credited as the architect of the Martin Luther King, Jr. national holiday.
Leigh's youngest daughter, a graduate of Monument Mountain Regional High School, is a cadet at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs; her son, newly graduated from UMass Amherst, is employed by Moderna helping to advance life-saving vaccines and therapeutics; and her older daughter is a senior at George Washington University studying Political Science.
Leigh has a Bachelor of Science degree from Ithaca College and a Master of Arts from the National University of Ireland, Galway.
GALLERY
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Seventeen years ago, grounded by a Berkshire snowstorm, I took a leap of faith and made this community home. I was a mother who didn’t know anyone in town, and I was raising three young kids alone. I did the “Berkshire Shuffle,” working multiple jobs to support my family. The community embraced us, and we thrived.
Public service runs in my family. My father, a Korean War veteran, played a vital role in the establishment of the MLK Jr. federal holiday. My mother worked alongside Peace Corps founder Sargent Shriver. My daughter is a cadet at the Air Force Academy. It’s service above self that drives me.
I’m ready to make a difference and deliver results for our 18 unique communities. I would be honored to continue my public service as your next State Representative."
- Leigh​​​​​