MEET PAULA
Paula Davis was first elected to the Louisiana House of Representatives in 2015 and was re-elected in 2019 to serve a four-year term. Representative Davis currently serves as the first Chairwoman of the House Commerce Committee and is a member of the House Executive Committee, House Select Leadership Committee, Joint Select Committee on Louisiana Economic Recovery, and the Governor’s Resilient Louisiana Commission. During her first term, Paula served on the Insurance; Municipal, Parochial, and Cultural Affairs; Ways and Means; and Joint Legislative Committee on Capital Outlay committees. Paula also currently serves as Chair of the Capital Region Legislative Delegation, and is a member of the Louisiana Legislative Women’s Caucus and the Louisiana Republican Legislative Delegation.
Representative Davis was born and raised in Breaux Bridge, LA, and has been a resident of Baton Rouge for over 30 years. She received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science from LSU.
Representative Davis is an active member within the Baton Rouge non-profit community, currently serving on the Advisory Board for the Joe Burrow Foundation, Board of Trustees of the Louisiana Arts and Science Museum, the LSU Ogden Honors College Advisory Council, and Honorary Chair of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. She previously served as a Best Dressed Honoree for the American Cancer Society, FurBall runway participant for the Companion Animal Alliance with her dog, Camp, Board of Directors for The Arc of Louisiana, the 2017 President of the Baton Rouge Symphony League, Co-Chair of the 2016 Baton Rouge Symphony League Madhatters fundraiser, and Co-Chair of the Manship Theatre’s 10th Anniversary fundraiser.
Representative Davis has been involved in Louisiana politics for over 20 years, having served as the Louisiana Deputy Commissioner of Insurance, overseeing the Property and Casualty Insurance Division, and working in Association Management, Governmental and Public Relations. While at the Department of Insurance, she helped policyholders and insurance companies recover from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, oversaw the regulation of commercial and personal lines of property and casualty insurance, and was the Legislative Affairs Coordinator handling all of the Department’s legislative efforts, including all revisions to the Louisiana Insurance Code.
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As a leader at the Capitol, Representative Davis was recognized for her legislative efforts, including receipt of the Greater Baton Rouge Business Report’s 2021 Influential Women in Business Award, the Chamber Southwest Louisiana “LegisGator of the Year” Award, Chamber Southwest Louisiana “Business Champion” Award, Louisiana Association of Business and Industry “Term All-Star” Award, “MVP” Award, and “Honorable Mention” Award, Conservative Political Action Conference Award (CPAC) “Conservative Excellence” Award, American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) “Rising Star” Award, Industrial Development Executives Association (LIDEA) “Legislative Ally” Award, Small Business Innovation Research Consortium “Legislative Champion” Award, Community & Technical College System (LCTCS) “Joe D. May Excellence in Advocacy” Award, Louisiana Hospital Association “Legislative Champion” Award, and Louisiana Orthopedic Association “Legislative Champion” Award.
As a leader within the Capital Region, Representative Davis was honored with the following recognitions and awards: LSU Foundation Greek Excellence Award, Louisiana Counseling Association Advocacy Award, Horsemen’s Benevolent & Protective Association “Gold Standard” Award, Greater BR Food Bank “Dedicated Service” Award, Louisiana Appleseed Pro Bono Award, and New Light Baptist Church Community Volunteer Award.
Outside of the Capitol, Paula is a licensed commercial real estate agent with Waters & Pettit, a commercial real estate firm in Louisiana and Mississippi. She and her husband, John Davis, have been married for 25 years and have one daughter, Hayden, a graduate of Auburn University, who is earning her Doctor of Occupational Therapy at the Medical University of South Carolina.