Attorney Davis is from Monroe, NC and is the daughter and granddaughter of pastors who served in Cabarrus, Union, Anson, Iredell, Rutherford and Burke county. She graduated from high school Summa Cum Laude in 2001. Her education continued at North Carolina Central University in Durham, NC on a full academic scholarship. She studied abroad at the Universidad Internacional Centre de Bilingue in Cuernavaca, Mexico in the summer of 2003. Attorney Davis received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice with a concentration in Law Enforcement in 2005, both Summa Cum Laude. While attending NCCU, she pledged Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. (Alpha Lambda Chapter) in the Spring of 2004.
Salena was on the Dean's list and performed over 250 hours of community service while at NCCU. She worked at the NCCU Academic Community Service Learning Program and the Office of Public Relations. She joined in with different organizations, sororities and fraternities in organizing a 2 mile walk to the poles for the national, state and local elections in the fall of 2004. She was a member of the NCCU branch of the NAACP, Student Government Association Senior Class Treasurer, Political Science Club, Pi Sigma Alpha National Political Science Honor Society, Criminal Justice club and was Miss NCCU NABCJ (National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice) 2004-2005.
Attorney Davis attended NCCU School of Law and earned her Juris Doctor in 2008. During her matriculation at NCCU SOL, she interned for Monks Law Firm, Hardison and Associates, Mecklenburg County Public Defender's Office and the Durham County Public Defender's Office. She was a member of the Public Interest Law Organization, Black Law Student Association, Native American Law Student Association, the Innocence Project, Criminal Litigation Clinic, General Externship Clinic, Small Business Clinic, Pro bono Law Clinic, North Carolina Volunteer Income Tax Assistance volunteer, Alternative Dispute Resolution Clinic, Trial Advocacy Board, Student Bar Association Representative for Law School Relations and External Affairs Committee and Class of 2008 Vice President. She volunteered at the Durham Rescue Mission, Pettigrew Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center and as a Christmas Interviewer for the Salvation Army. Through the Street Law Course in conjunction with the Future Lawyers and Leaders of America organization, Attorney Davis coached two teams from Lowe's Grove and Shepard Middle School for a Mock Trial Competition between the two schools.
Salena was a Mecklenburg County Assistant Public Defender for two years and owned her own law firm for 13 years. She is a Notary Public and a member of the NC State Bar, Federal Western District of North Carolina, Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, the John S. Leary Bar Association, and the Mecklenburg County Bar Association. She was chosen as a member of the Class of 2021 for the Mecklenburg County Bar Leadership Institute. She represents adults and juveniles charged with misdemeanor and felony offenses in Cabarrus, Rowan and Mecklenburg County. She also handles Federal Supervised Release violations for the Western District of North Carolina.
Salena is a boy mom with two sons. She enjoys working with her hands, painting, making jewelry and tending her garden. She is an accomplished legal professional who is quality-driven, critical thinking, energetic, and detail-oriented, with a proven track record in both bench and jury trials for criminal defendants.