Carolyn Goodman

Carolyn Goodman
Born	Carolyn Goldmark 25 3, 1939
Birthplace	New York City, New York, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician, educator
Title	Mayor of Las Vegas (2011–2024)
Known for	22nd Mayor of Las Vegas; founder of The Meadows School
Education	University of Nevada, Las Vegas (MS)
Spouse(s)	Oscar Goodman
Children	4

Carolyn Goodman (née Goldmark; born March 25, 1939) is an American politician and educator who served as the 22nd Mayor of Las Vegas, Nevada, from July 6, 2011, until December 4, 2024. Born in New York City, Goodman built a distinguished career in education before entering public life, founding The Meadows School, a private college-preparatory institution in Las Vegas, and serving as its president and trustee emerita. She is the second woman to serve as mayor of Las Vegas, and her tenure followed that of her husband, Oscar Goodman, who held the office from 1999 to 2011. Together, the Goodmans presided over the governance of Las Vegas for a combined quarter-century, a period marked by significant transformation and revitalization of the city's downtown core. Running as an Independent, Goodman won two mayoral elections and served the maximum three terms permitted under Las Vegas city charter. She was succeeded in office by Shelley Berkley in December 2024.

Early Life

Carolyn Goldmark was born on March 25, 1939, in New York City, New York. She grew up in the New York metropolitan area during the mid-twentieth century. Details of her parents and childhood upbringing beyond her birth in New York City are limited in available public records. She later married Oscar Goodman, who would become a prominent defense attorney in Las Vegas and eventually the city's mayor. The couple relocated to Las Vegas, where they raised four children, including their son Ross.

During her husband's years as a high-profile criminal defense attorney representing clients associated with organized crime, Carolyn Goodman established herself independently in the Las Vegas community, particularly through education and civic engagement. Prior to entering politics, she served on the board of the United Way of Southern Nevada, reflecting her involvement in community service and nonprofit work in the region.

Education

Goodman attended Bryn Mawr College, a women's liberal arts college in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. She later pursued graduate studies at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), where she obtained a Master of Science degree. Her graduate education at UNLV reflected her commitment to the field of education, which would become the cornerstone of her professional career prior to entering politics. Goodman's educational background at two institutions — one on the East Coast and one in her adopted home of Las Vegas — bridged her New York origins with her life in Nevada.

Career

Education and The Meadows School

Before entering political life, Carolyn Goodman established a lengthy career in education. She is the founder, president, and trustee emerita of The Meadows School, a private, nonprofit, college-preparatory school in Las Vegas. The Meadows School serves students from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade and has been recognized as one of the leading private educational institutions in the Las Vegas area. Goodman's founding and leadership of the school represented a significant contribution to educational options in a city that, during the latter decades of the twentieth century, experienced rapid population growth and increasing demand for quality schooling.

Her work at The Meadows School earned her recognition in the Las Vegas educational community and helped establish her public profile well before she sought elected office. The school's strategic planning documents describe an institution committed to academic excellence and the development of the whole student, principles that Goodman championed during her years of leadership.

In addition to her work at The Meadows School, Goodman was active in community organizations. She served on the board of the United Way of Southern Nevada, contributing to the organization's work in addressing social and community needs across the region.

First Lady of Las Vegas

From 1999 to 2011, Goodman served as the First Lady of Las Vegas during her husband Oscar Goodman's three terms as mayor. Oscar Goodman, a former criminal defense attorney known for his colorful personality and high-profile clientele, won the mayoral race in 1999 and was re-elected in 2003 and 2007. During his tenure, the couple became one of the most visible pairs in Las Vegas public life. Carolyn Goodman used her position as First Lady to advocate for education and community development in the city.

When Oscar Goodman reached his term limit in 2011 and was constitutionally barred from seeking a fourth term, attention turned to whether Carolyn Goodman would seek to succeed him in office.

2011 Mayoral Election

In 2011, Carolyn Goodman entered the race for mayor of Las Vegas. She ran as an Independent candidate, having previously been registered as a Democrat before switching her party affiliation in 2009. The mayoral position in Las Vegas is officially nonpartisan, though candidates' political affiliations are known to voters.

On June 7, 2011, Goodman won the Las Vegas mayoral election. Her victory was reported by the Las Vegas Sun and other local media outlets. The race drew attention in part because of the unusual circumstance of a spouse directly succeeding the other in the same office, a dynamic that drew both interest and scrutiny from political observers and the press.

Goodman took office on July 6, 2011, succeeding Oscar Goodman as the 22nd mayor of Las Vegas. She became the second woman to serve in the position in the city's history.

Tenure as Mayor

Downtown Revitalization

One of the central themes of Goodman's tenure as mayor was the continued revitalization and development of downtown Las Vegas. Building on initiatives begun during her husband's time in office, she advocated for investment in the city's urban core, seeking to attract businesses, cultural institutions, and residential development to an area historically overshadowed by the resort corridor of the Las Vegas Strip, which lies outside the city's municipal boundaries in unincorporated Clark County.

During her time in office, downtown Las Vegas experienced considerable transformation, with new developments in arts, entertainment, dining, and residential projects reshaping the area. In a 2018 article, the Las Vegas Sun noted that Goodman's advocacy for Las Vegas as a destination for major professional sports franchises proved prescient as the city attracted teams including the Las Vegas Raiders of the National Football League and the Vegas Golden Knights of the National Hockey League.

The completion of the new Las Vegas Civic Center and Goodman Plaza, which was opened in September 2025 after Goodman had left office, was described as a culmination of efforts to enhance civic and cultural life in the downtown area. Former Mayor Goodman participated in the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the plaza, which bears the Goodman family name.

Political Positions and Endorsements

Throughout her time in office, Goodman navigated a complex political landscape as an Independent officeholder. In July 2015, she endorsed Republican Joe Heck for the United States Senate in the 2016 Nevada Senate race, a move that drew attention given her previous Democratic registration. The endorsement underscored Goodman's positioning as a centrist Independent willing to work across party lines.

During the 2016 presidential election, Goodman declined to endorse either major party candidate, ruling out endorsements of both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. This decision was consistent with her Independent political identity and her stated focus on nonpartisan governance of the city.

In a 2016 interview with the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Goodman spoke about Las Vegas and its identity, and she noted that her husband Oscar Goodman had expressed that he would relish the opportunity to run against Trump. The interview highlighted both her Jewish heritage and her perspective on the evolving political dynamics of her city.

Re-elections and Term Limits

Goodman was re-elected to a second term as mayor and subsequently won a third term, serving the maximum number of terms allowed under the Las Vegas city charter. Her combined tenure from 2011 to 2024 spanned over thirteen years, during which the city underwent considerable economic, demographic, and cultural changes. Together with her husband's twelve-year tenure, the Goodman family held the Las Vegas mayoral office for approximately twenty-five consecutive years, a period frequently cited in local media.

End of Tenure

Goodman's third and final term ended on December 4, 2024, when she was succeeded by Shelley Berkley, a former U.S. Representative. Upon leaving office, Goodman reflected on the transformation of the city during her tenure and that of her husband. In an October 2025 joint interview with FOX5 Vegas, both Oscar and Carolyn Goodman discussed their shared legacy in shaping modern Las Vegas, emphasizing the revitalization of downtown and the attraction of major sports franchises and entertainment developments to the city.

Personal Life

Carolyn Goodman is married to Oscar Goodman, a former criminal defense attorney and the 21st mayor of Las Vegas, who served from 1999 to 2011. The couple has four children, including a son named Ross. The Goodmans are one of the most prominent couples in Las Vegas public life, having both served as the city's mayor — a rarity in American municipal governance.

Goodman is Jewish, a fact she has discussed in public interviews. She and her husband have been active participants in the Las Vegas Jewish community.

During her husband's tenure as mayor, Goodman served as the city's First Lady, a role she used to promote education and community causes. When she became mayor herself, Oscar Goodman assumed the informal role of First Gentleman of Las Vegas.

After leaving office in December 2024, Goodman has remained a presence in Las Vegas civic life. In September 2025, she attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Las Vegas Civic Center and Goodman Plaza, the public space named in honor of the Goodman family's contributions to the city.

Recognition

Goodman's contributions to Las Vegas have been recognized in several forms. The naming of Goodman Plaza, part of the new Las Vegas Civic Center complex that opened in September 2025, stands as a prominent public tribute to the Goodman family's impact on the city. The Las Vegas Review-Journal described the opening as a "momentous occasion" for the city, with both former mayors in attendance alongside current Mayor Shelley Berkley and members of the city council.

The Las Vegas Sun credited Goodman in 2018 for her foresight in promoting Las Vegas as a viable market for major professional sports, a position that was validated as the city attracted NFL and NHL franchises.

As an alumna of Bryn Mawr College, Goodman has been featured in the college's publications, including an interview in the Bryn Mawr College Bulletin, in which she discussed her career and her transition from education to politics.

Her work in founding The Meadows School remains one of her most cited accomplishments outside of political office, recognized as a significant contribution to private education in Las Vegas.

Legacy

Carolyn Goodman's legacy in Las Vegas is closely intertwined with that of her husband, Oscar Goodman. Together, the couple held the Las Vegas mayoral office for approximately twenty-five years, from 1999 to 2024, a period of enormous change for the city. During this quarter-century, Las Vegas grew from a city primarily defined by its gaming industry to a diversified metropolitan area with professional sports teams, a growing arts and culture scene, and a revitalized downtown district.

Goodman's role in the transformation of downtown Las Vegas is frequently cited as a central element of her mayoral legacy. The development of new civic infrastructure, residential buildings, cultural venues, and public spaces in the urban core represented a departure from the historical focus on the Las Vegas Strip. The opening of the Las Vegas Civic Center and Goodman Plaza in 2025, after her departure from office, was described by local media as a tangible symbol of these efforts.

Before entering politics, Goodman's founding of The Meadows School established her reputation as an educator and community leader. Her transition from education to the mayoralty was relatively unusual in American politics, where few mayors arrive in office via careers in private school administration. Her background in education informed her approach to governance, with an emphasis on community development and quality of life.

The circumstance of a married couple serving consecutively as mayor of a major American city is rare, and the Goodman succession has been the subject of commentary in both local and national media. The dynamic raised questions about political dynasties in municipal governance, though Goodman's supporters pointed to her independent career achievements, particularly in education, as evidence that she brought her own qualifications to the office.

As of 2025, both Carolyn and Oscar Goodman continue to be recognized figures in Las Vegas civic life, and their combined tenure is regarded as a defining era in the city's modern history.