Meet the Team: Elyse Davis

Catching Up with Elyse Davis

We're all about building our home state. We work with our community partners to grow and expand our state.

How do we do that?

By having an awesome team of experts. We caught up with one of those experts to learn more about what she's up to. Let's meet Elyse!

What part of town do you live in?

I live one hour northwest of downtown Atlanta, on a 10-acre tract in an equestrian subdivision nestled between Cartersville and Rome. (Even though I don't have horses!) It's a touch of rural living but close enough to two wonderful cities to enjoy all the amenities I need. I enjoy life in the best of both worlds!

What’s your role at Georgia Power?

Northwest Region Community Development Manager

How many years of experience in community/economic development do you have?

I have been in the business of community and economic development for 34 years; of which almost seven have been spent with Georgia Power and the rest with local development authorities or chambers of commerce.

Describe economic development in Georgia in two words:

Changing, Transitioning

Tell us your favorite part of your job.

My favorite parts of my job are mentoring others, helping my communities find their purpose, and working with the best economic development team in the country!

What was your very first job?

My first official job was at age 15 at the J &J Drug Company, Rockmart, Georgia; and I have been working ever since!

What do you love about Georgia?

Georgia is such a diverse state; culturally as well as geographically. There’s something for everyone - mountains, coast, and flatlands, and I love it all! I have never visited a city that I couldn’t find at least one redeeming quality and thought, “I could live here." Georgia’s greatest overall asset is the people.

What’s Your Secret Talent?

My strength at work is fostering teamwork and collaborative partnerships. But in my personal life, it’s cooking!

What’s one thing that might surprise people about you?

I am an introvert.

Almost everything I do at work requires extrovert qualities. I love people, and I think my co-workers would consider me to have an outgoing personality. But in my personal life, I prefer small intimate events with family and close friends. Most of my time and energy is dedicated to interfacing with my community partners, which I thoroughly enjoy. But my natural tendency is to be introverted. I can spend hours and days alone and be totally rejuvenated.

Are you a plant or pet parent?

Neither –But I am a grandparent, which is my favorite role of all!

What is one thing you learned about yourself in 2020?

Wow, this is a tough one to answer as I have learned so much. First, my workdays do not fit in a nicely wrapped Monday – Friday, 8:00 am to 6:00 pm box! I am much more productive from my home office. I can work anytime, improve efficiencies, and experience a better work/life balance. Before the pandemic, I lived under the premise that everyone besides me controlled my schedule. This is simply not true. I know I can set healthy boundaries by properly managing my calendar and employing technology. Secondly, I have learned to listen more and talk less, and NOT to sweat the small stuff – it all truly is “small” stuff!