Kenyatta S. Beverly is Senior Labor and Employment Counsel for The Davey Tree Expert Company (Davey), one of the largest employee-owned companies in the United States. Davey provides a wide range of arboricultural, horticultural, environmental, utility support, and consulting services to customers throughout the U.S. and Canada. In her role, Kenyatta provides strategic legal counsel to Davey and its subsidiaries on a wide range of labor and employment matters.
Since joining Davey, Kenyatta has been a strong advocate for meaningful and sustainable workplace change. She was instrumental in the formation of Davey’s Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee and, in partnership with human resources leaders, formally launched the company’s Employee Affinity Groups.
Prior to joining Davey, Kenyatta served as Director of Labor Relations for Acero Charter Schools, Inc.; as Labor Relations Counsel and an Administrative Law Judge for the State of Illinois; and as an associate attorney at both boutique and global law firms.
Kenyatta is deeply committed to civic leadership, mentorship, education, and community service. She currently serves as Chair of the Board of Directors for Girls Inc. of Chicago; Treasurer of the Board of Directors for Meridian Charter Schools; and is a member of the Black Women Lawyers’ Association of Greater Chicago, Inc. (BWLA) Scholarship Fund Board. She is also a Past President of BWLA.
Kenyatta’s legal expertise, leadership, and community service have been recognized by several legal and civic organizations. Her honors include being named a 40 Under Forty Illinois Attorneys to Watch honoree by Chicago Lawyer Magazine and the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin; being selected as a Leadership Council on Legal Diversity Fellow; receiving the Cook County Bar Association’s Next Generation Award; being named a Law Bulletin Media Salute! Top Women in Law honoree; being selected as a Diversity MBA Magazine Top 100 Under 50 Executive Leader; and being named a Girls Inc. of Chicago She Shines Honoree. She has also been featured in publications such as Modern Counsel and has received multiple distinguished service and leadership awards.
A native of East St. Louis, Illinois, Kenyatta currently resides on the South Side of Chicago. She earned her B.A. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and her J.D. from the University of Wisconsin Law School. She is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Outside of her professional and board service, Kenyatta enjoys fishing, weightlifting, gardening, spoiling her 13 nieces and nephews, and avoiding cooking whenever possible.