Austin Davis

34 | Director of Government Affairs, Lake Champlain Chamber
Residence: Chittenden

Career highlight: There are honestly so many. It’s been such a privilege to engage in my community in myriad ways and make a meaningful impact on many levels, whether it’s helping individual businesses through obstacles or refining policy to work best for Vermonters; rarely does a month go by without a highlight.

Community involvement: My current job lets me serve my community; beyond that, I’ve volunteered on the Green Mountain Transit Board, which I chaired for two years, and I recently joined the Board of the Queen City Police Foundation. Both have created the opportunity to support people doing essential work for our community. I’ve also served as a Justice of the Peace and on the Board of Civil Authority in Winooski, among other less official ways I’ve found to be an active community member.

Motivation for living and working in Vermont: Vermont offers a fantastic lifestyle that I’ve enjoyed at every stage of my life. Few places let you finish a day of lobbying at the State House, ski with friends 45 minutes later, have après dinner, and wake up the next morning to get back in the office.

Favorite part of your job: I was the “why” kid who always questioned things and wanted to learn everything I could about whatever was in front of me, so my job is a great fit. Now, my job is to consume as much information as possible, synthesize it into something useful for the people a work with, and develop actionable solutions to problems.

If you had unlimited access to funds, which cause(s) would you support: I know there are bigger problems in the world; however, I’d want to focus on equitable, easy access to the outdoors. Even proximity doesn’t guarantee access; for example, I grew up within sight of a ski resort and didn’t ski until I was 26; it’s now my favorite hobby, and I always wish I could have started sooner.

Drawing on your experiences, what advice would you give to someone looking to get involved in community service: It’s easier than you think, and you have value to add. So many people are intimidated or at a loss as to what to do; pick something that matters, reach out to the people working on it to ask if you can help, and they will certainly have something for you to do.