At Large – Dr. Oliver Davis

Council Member Dr. Oliver Davis began his new term as an At-Large Council Member on the South Bend Common (City) Council on January 1, 2024. Previously, Dr. Oliver Davis served 12 years, three consecutive terms on the South Bend Common (City) Council at the 6^th District Council Member, after first being elected in 2007. Council Member Dr. Oliver Davis works hard to represent the people of South Bend and to speak out on the issues which help to empower the lives of the people of South Bend. 

To serve the citizens of South Bend is one of Oliver’s greatest honors. Throughout his first tenure on the Common Council, Council Member Dr. Oliver Davis worked to see the 6th District grow and revive as a strong economic region for the City of South Bend. With the rapid growth of businesses in the Ignition Park area, Lippert Components Inc. relocated in the former A.J. Wright building on Sample Street, with the addition of the Martin’s Super Market on Mayflower Road, and with the improvements to the Rum Village and Walker Field Park areas, the Southwest side of the City of South Bend continues to gain strength. Council Member Dr. Oliver Davis was very supportive and an advocate for the Pokagon Tribal Council’s development that will greatly re-energize the Southwest Side of the City of South Bend. “On behalf of the Pokagon Tribal Council, and all Pokagon citizens, we’d like to thank the BIA, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, former and active South Bend Common Council members, Councilman Oliver Davis, members of the Michiana Pokagon Alliance, and all of the local citizens and organizations that have supported us during this lengthy process,” said John P. Warren, Former Chairman of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians.” Council Member Dr. Oliver Davis served as a past President and Vice President of the South Bend Common Council President.  He was a Member and a Past President of the TRANSPO (South Bend Public Transportation Board of Directors) and was a Member on the Michiana Area Council of Governments (MACOG). 

Council Member Dr. Oliver Davis currently serves as the Council as the Chairperson of the Zoning & Annexation Committee; Vice-Chairperson of the Health & Public Safety Committee and serves as a Member of the following Committees:  the PARC – Venues Parks and Arts (Parks, Recreation, Cultural Arts & Entertainment), and Public Works and Property Vacation, and Utilities. He serves as a Commissioner on the South Bend Plan Commission. 

Dr. Davis earned the Doctor of Social Work Degree from the University of Southern California School of Social Work in Los Angeles, CA. He completed the Professional Certificate in Management from the University of Notre Dame Mendoza College of Business in Notre Dame, IN & the Professional Certificate in Political Social Work from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI. He earned the Master of Social Work Degree from The Ohio State University in Columbus, OH & earned the Bachelor of Social Work Degree from Oakwood University in Huntsville, AL, & completed a Summer Internship at the University of Maryland College Park in the Family Studies Department in College Park, MD.
Dr. Davis is the third child & only son born to life-time educators Drs. Oliver (Sr.) & the late Ruth Davis of Huntsville, AL. He has two lovely daughters – Starr Davis & Kailyn Davis. Dr. Davis has a sweet Chocolate Black Lab named Pepper Davis. Oliver loves to cook, to travel, to watch football & is a lover of history, particularly the history of the Presidents of the United States & the Civil Rights Movement.

Council Member Dr. Davis believes that “How We Walk with The Broken Speaks Louder than How We Sit With the Great!”