Q&A with New Board Chair, Denise Davis

As we begin a new fiscal year during this important triple pandemic moment of COVID-19 recovery, economic stabilization and continued commitment towards racial equity and opportunity, Mission Capital staff and board are proud to welcome our new Board Chair, Denise Davis. She has served on our MC board for 3 years and will be leading board governance, strategy, financial oversight and community leadership for Mission Capital over the next year.

Denise Davis is a native Texan with over two decades of experience working in the Texas Legislature. Denise is an attorney and founding law partner of Davis Kaufman PLLC in Austin. Prior to founding the law firm in 2012, she served as Chief of Staff to House Speaker Joe R. Straus where she provided strategic and operational advice to the Speaker and the entire House leadership and oversaw the legislative agenda and daily activities of the Speaker’s Office. Ms. Davis served for several sessions as House Parliamentarian and Special Counsel to the Texas House of Representatives, where she advised the Speaker and members of the House on all ethics, legal and parliamentary matters relating to the Texas House of Representatives.

Denise has extensive experience in drafting winning strategies on complex legislation and has been consistently ranked as one of Texas’ top lobbyists by Mike Hailey’s “Capitol Inside,” most recently in the top 30 of its 2019 Texas Lobby Power Rankings and #1 on the 2013 Rising Lobby Stars list. Ms. Davis has also worked in private practice, serving as Special Counsel to the corporate department of an international law firm, where she provided public policy law and governmental relations services to corporate clients.

In addition to her professional work, Denise also invests her time, talent and treasure with many community and civic organizations, including The Links in Austin. She’s particularly passionate about supporting women leaders and leaders of color in our community and is an active mentor and advocate for staff.

We are excited to have her at the helm of Mission Capital!

We had a virtual chat with Denise to ask her about her experience in board leadership, the current state of the social sector in Central Texas, and the role of Mission Capital to “equip and connect mission-driven leaders, organizations & networks as we advance equity & opportunity in Central Texas.”

What about Mission Capital’s mission attracted you to join our board and what keeps you engaged?

I love Mission’s Capital’s commitment to serving non-profits in Central Texas.  That is what got my attention when Dan Graham first asked me to serve on the Board years ago and it is what keeps me engaged today as the new Board Chair.

Are there any trends in the social sector that are shaping the way you will approach your role as Board Chair?

I see numerous organizations in the social sector space collaborating with both the public and the private sectors on causes – and this is inspiring and important…because when we work together, our entire community benefits.

What are the biggest challenges and opportunities for our social sector in Central Texas?

Our biggest challenge in the social sector is finding ways to keep folks engaged in what we are doing in the age of COVID. So many folks are focused solely on their daily priorities so “staying on the radar” of community volunteers, donors, foundations and supporters is helpful for both the short and long-term health of nonprofit organizations. The MC team works tirelessly to keep our supporters and partners engaged, and I know the Board is deeply appreciative and committed to supporting our Mission Capital work to “equip and connect mission-driven leaders, organizations and networks as we advance equity and opportunity in Central Texas”.

What lived experiences inform your professional and civic leadership?

My many years of public service in the Texas Capitol really taught me the importance of giving back and helping others. More importantly, being a mom has taught me the importance of leading by example. I can’t really ask my children to make time to participate in community and civic engagement when I don’t do so myself.

What have you learned from board service?

Thus far on every Board on which I have served, I’ve learned the importance of open communication with other board members and with staff, even if you don’t agree with their position. There is always room for civility, growth and learning.  

What advice would you give someone aspiring to join a nonprofit board?

My advice is to find a board with a cause that you are (or might want to be) passionate about. There are many boards out there that need committed community leadership and volunteerism. I would also suggest making sure you have the time to serve on the non-profit board if you can. If you do not have the time right now, be open to serving on the board later. Our Central Texas community is fortunate to have a strong network of dedicated nonprofits serving community needs – we invite you to become engaged in this collective work!

We thank Denise for giving us insight into her role as Board Chair. If you’re interested in pursuing nonprofit board service, we encourage you to attend one of our monthly Board Essentials sessions.