April 11, 2018
The University of Montana Western’s 2018 Spring Commencement ceremony, held on Saturday, May 5, will feature speaker Steve Davis, an international expert on innovation.
Steve Davis is currently President and CEO of PATH, an international nonprofit organization that focuses on saving lives and improving health, especially among women and children. Davis combines extensive experience as a technology business leader, global health advocate, and social innovator.
“I am deeply honored to join this celebration of students, families and community back in my wonderful hometown, and at a university that has meant so much to my family and the people of Montana,” said Davis.
Davis is a native of Dillon, Mont., and brother of UMW Vice Chancellor of Administration, Finance, and Student Affairs, Susan Briggs.
“It is so special to have my brother as the speaker at graduation before my retirement. Montana Western has always held a special spot in the Davis family and I know my dad Carl would be so happy and proud that Steve was speaking,” said Briggs.
Prior to joining PATH in 2012, Davis served as director of Social Innovation at McKinsey & Company, CEO of Internet pioneer and global digital media firm Corbis, and interim director of the Infectious Disease Research Institute, and he practiced law at the international law firm K&L Gates. Earlier, he worked extensively on refugee programs and policies, and Chinese politics and law.
Mr. Davis is a lecturer on social innovation at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. He currently is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, serves on the board of InterAction, Challenge Seattle and sits on several advisory groups, including as a trustee of the World Economic Forum’s Global Health Challenge, on the stakeholder advisory panel for the global insurance and asset management firm AXA, and on the advisory board for Medtronics Labs. His former board memberships include Crucell, the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (Chair), Intrepid Learning Solutions, NPower (Chair), The Seattle Foundation, United Way of King County (Chair) and United Way International, and the Washington State Technology Alliance (Chair).
Mr. Davis earned his BA from Princeton University, his MA in Chinese studies from the University of Washington, and his law degree from Columbia University. He also studied at Beijing University.
“We are so fortunate that Steve Davis will be our commencement speaker this year,” said Chancellor Beth Weatherby. “He is an international expert on innovation, which is one of Montana Western’s essential characteristics. How wonderful for our students to have the opportunity to hear from a Dillon native whose brilliant career has been devoted to improving the lives of others on a very broad scale.”
The ceremony will begin at 11 a.m. in the Straugh Gymnasium on the Montana Western campus.
For more information about Commencement, please contact the Montana Western Registrar’s Office by calling 406-683-7371.
