Maya Davis hails from the San Francisco Bay Area. She aspired to be a leader and advocate for people who needed a voice. This led to her exploration of different work fields until her best friend at the time recommended a job as a receptionist at a veterinary hospital.
Maya thoroughly enjoyed her job and her daily interactions with clients and was approached to take an opportunity to become a hospital manager. Maya was excited to step up to the plate as a hospital manager and gained a wealth of knowledge about veterinary medicine, hands-on tech skills, leadership skills, and client experience excellence. During her time as a hospital manager, Maya had a life-changing and inspirational event that introduced her to her godson Riley. Riley's presence motivated Maya to return to college, and she was able to successfully graduate magna cum laude with her degree in political science, pre-law.
Maya eventually found her way to VCA Animal Hospitals and has had the pleasure of joining several teams throughout the Bay Area in different roles such as area manager I, area manager II, and finally as a regional operations director in Northern California, NC02 Region. Maya's last seven years with VCA have been some of the most fulfilling, rewarding experiences due to her colleagues and hospital teams. She looks forward to many more years!
Black History Month is celebrated every February as a homage to the achievements of Black Americans who have shaped American history. Often times, we are asked to reflect upon Black Americans that have come before us and have influenced our outlook on Black history. There are so many Black Americans who can be named for their remarkable strength, sacrifices, and contributions to the world. However, Maya would also like to acknowledge and honor Black Americans who have kept the history alive and passed forward through each generation in helping us not to forget. It is these Black Americans – elders, relatives, and friends who should be honored as our unspoken heroes.
Maya chooses to honor her mother, Shirley Donnelly. Maya's mother taught her from a young age of the strength, struggles, courage, and battles of those Black Americans who came before her, but she also taught her about the beauty in humanity. As an educator, Maya's mother was able to pursue her greatest passion of educating, supporting, and nurturing students. Her mother believed and taught Maya the power of making a difference one day, one word, and one action at a time, knowing the benefits for a child or person just to know that someone believes in them. There is no greater injustice than that of ignorance and the absence of love. Maya celebrates her mother and gives tribute to the strength of her words: "Remember where you came from, so you know where you are going," and sings the Black National Anthem, "Lift Every Voice" in remembrance with pride of the told and untold stories of the past.
