Dr. Zaria Davis is a mentor, educator, and advocate. She serves as a coach and consultant for nonprofits servicing and businesses hiring directly impacted communities through New Direction Coaching & Consulting, LLC. Dr. Davis also is an experienced grant writer and reviewer. Zaria is passionate about working with women in reentry and launched Filling The Gap Reentry Services in 2019, addressing many of the voids of services in her community for formerly incarcerated women. Filling the Gap serves on the UnlockHigherEd Steering Committee which advocates for removal of barriers for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated scholars. She serves on the Ed Trust's Justice Fellows Advisory Board.
Zaria holds a DSW (Social Work) from Capella University, MSW from University of Cincinnati and BA in Sociology from Wilberforce University. She is currently enrolled in Eden Theological Seminary pursuing her MDiv. Zaria is a member of various local and national organizations. Dr. Davis is a JustLeadershipUSA Leading with Conviction 2019 Graduate, Community Leaders Institute 2019 graduate, Excel XIV 2019-20 graduate and recent Leadership Cincinnati Class 44 graduate. She is currently a member of Leadership Ohio Class of 2021. She serves as a board member for Dress for Success Cincinnati,chairing the Program Committee, Ohio Justice & Policy Center, the Robert O'Neal Multicultural Art Center (ROMAC) and ReNForce. Zaria is a member of the Rotary Club, Impact 100, Junior League of Cincinnati, International Coaching Federation, National Association of Social Workers, National Association of Community & Restorative Justice, National Association of Black Social Workers, National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice (Life Member), and Wilberforce Alumni Association (Life Member).
Dr. Davis is the recipient of the Restored Citizen Award in 2019 and Mary Ivers Success Award in 2020. She is actively engaged in her local community in developing and training new advocates, especially those impacted by the criminal legal system. Zaria has a wide range of experiences which reflects her advocacy, training, and consulting. Dr. Davis is a Subject Matter Expert with Jamii Sisterhood and Dignity LeadHerShip Alliance. She currently serves as the Ohio Empathy Network Leader for Day of Empathy and the Dignity Council for Dream Corps JUSTICE. Dr. Zaria has served on panels, as both a participant and moderator. She is passionate about reducing the prison population, fully restoring directly impacted people’s citizenship, and access to higher education during and after incarceration. Dr. Davis provides individual and organizational coaching and consulting, conducts workshops and presentations, facilitation, as well as public and keynote speaking engagements throughout the country. She is the proud mother of a college student and two bonus children. Zaria appreciates self-care and does that through hiking, boxing, DJing, and traveling.
