Bettye Davis was many things to Alaska. She was a social worker, a school board member, and a state legislator—the first African American woman elected to both the Alaska State House and the Alaska State Senate—and a lifelong champion for youth and families across our state.

She was also a Camp Fire board member and donor. And during her time serving in Juneau, Senator Davis supported Camp Fire’s efforts to raise capital funds for the move to our current office location in 2006.

Barb Dubovich, who worked with Camp Fire for 40 years—half of those years as CEO—remembers Bettye Davis as an advocate for all youth and for those who serve them. Barb says that as a board member, “Bettye would always take time to inquire about the staff who worked directly with children. She was sensitive to their needs and wanted to know how best they could be supported. She would often advocate for youth whose families may be challenged with day-to-day struggles where support and stability could make a difference.”

Camp Fire is proud to honor Bettye Davis’s legacy by tabling at the upcoming Bettye Davis African American Summit, hosted by the Alaska Black Caucus on February 28 2026 at Alaska Pacific University.