Anita Davis

Chief Mission Officer
Goodwill Industries

Anita Davis has nearly 20 years of experience leading community, economic and workforce development programs and initiatives.

Currently, her role is Chief Mission Officer of Goodwill Industries, which has served communities in western Missouri and eastern Kansas for 127 years. The mission of Goodwill is focused on empowering people through work and this includes a variety of vocational and training services, such as digital skills training and essential skills training. In 2020, the Artemis Initiative launched which is about preparing people for the future of work in technologies and careers related to the 4th Industrial Revolution, which includes AR/VR, machine learning, robotics, automation, internet of things etc.

Prior to joining Goodwill, Davis was the workforce development director for the Mid-America Regional Council where her team was responsible for convening and collaborating with regional education and workforce development stakeholders in order to support economic growth and prosperity in the Kansas City Region. This included programs such as KC Degrees that connects adults to education and training, and GradForce KC, a college attainment network.

Davis earned a bachelor's degree in African studies from the University of Kansas and her master's degree in public administration and urban economic development from the University of Missouri-Kansas City, wherein she was a Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development Fellow.