Pamela Goynes-Brown, the first African American mayor of North Las Vegas, was born in 1962 on a Navajo reservation in Utah. Her parents were Theron and Naomi Goynes. In 1964 the family moved to North Las Vegas so they could pursue careers in education.
After graduating from high school, Goynes attended Prairie View A & M University. She earned a bachelorโs degree, Magna Cum Laude in Music Education and later attended Nova Southeastern University in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida where she received a masterโs degree in elementary education with an endorsement in educational leadership.
Pamela Goynes worked in the Clark County School system in North Las Vegas for over three decades. For the first 20 years she taught music. During the last three years of her career she was an administrator in Clark County schools.
Pamelaโs father, Theron Goynes, was the first African American to serve on the North Las Vegas city council and the first to serve as mayor pro tempore for the city. He also ran unsuccessfully for the position of mayor.
Pamela decided to follow in her fatherโs footsteps and was elected to the North Las Vegas city council in 2011. She represented the cityโs Ward 2 and served on the city council for the next 10 years. During a portion of that time, she served as mayor pro tempore becoming the first Black woman to serve in that post.
In 2022 Pamela Goynes announced her candidacy for mayor of North Las Vegas. In the nonpartisan primary she was the top vote-getter among eight candidates. She went on to win the general election on November 8, 2022, garnering nearly 67% of the vote and assumed office on December 1, 2022. Her term of office will last until November 30, 2026.
North Las Vegas is one of the fastest growing cities in Nevada. Its population grew 21% between 2010 and 2020. It is also the largest minority-majority city in the state. Whites and Hispanics each comprise 42% of the cityโs population while African American comprise 22%.
As mayor, Pamela Goynes-Brown has endeavored to make city employees, and the police department reflect the diversity of North Las Vegas. Under her direction the city offers various incentive packages and bonuses to attract and keep well-trained police officers. Over twenty new restaurants have opened in the past three years. Under her stewardship federal funding directed to the city has continued to increase dramatically ($121 million was awarded to the city in 2021). The Downtown Gateway project has begun and is scheduled to be completed in early 2026.
She has announced plans to update all city parks, adding new equipment, splash pads, lighting, and dog parks.
She serves on numerous boards and commissions including the Deferred Compensation Plan Committee, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, and the North Las Vegas Redevelopment Agency. Mayor Goynes-Brown leads the Mayors Alliance to end childhood hunger and serves on the Teachers and Leaders Council, the CSN ad hoc search advisory committee, and the Civilian Military Council.
Pamela Goynes-Brown is married to Romero. She has two adult children: Bobby R. Owens III and Michael A. Owens.
