The first female Mayor of Charleston, West Virginia

Amy Shuler Goodwin was elected in 2018 as the first female Mayor of Charleston, West Virginia, and was re-elected in 2022. Since taking office, Mayor Goodwin has prioritized fiscal accountability, transparent and efficient processes, investment in critical infrastructure, people-focused solutions, and forward-thinking policies and programming.

As outlined in the 2026 State of the City address, Mayor Goodwin is leading: the construction of a $20 million Public Safety Center to better serve the community and the Charleston Police Department; the completion of $5 million in fire station renovations, investing in critical upgrades that improve working and living conditions for first responders; advancement of the $25 million Capital Connector Project to expand riverfront access and connectivity; expanded citywide road repairs totaling $5 million; neighborhood-focused initiatives and community partnerships that strengthen engagement and quality of life across Charleston; and efforts that have helped support more than $315M in new private investment citywide.

Mayor Goodwin, during her tenure, has spearheaded several projects including the–

• Establishment of the Coordinated Addiction Response Effort (CARE) in 2019 to address the impact of substance use disorder, and later expanded the CARE Office to include an equally strong effort to address mental health and homelessness.
• Development of a comprehensive strategy to address dilapidated structures and vacant properties—including the demolition of more than 700 structures (since 2019) and the creation of the Charleston Land Reuse Agency (CLRA) to reclaim vacant and abandoned properties for new housing and enhanced open spaces in our community.
• Successful acquisition of nearly $60M in federal grant funding for key initiatives including the Capital Connector Project which will enhance the city’s riverfront, safety, improve transit access, and better connect our city.
• Revitalization of existing park spaces and the strategic development of new parks, representing an investment of more than $20M— including City Center at Slack Plaza ($3.5M), the City’s first skatepark, and turfing 11 city-owned athletic fields ($11.5M).
• Creation and continued maintenance of the largest rainy-day fund in the City’s history — starting with $4M and with a current balance of $18.3M (01/2026).
• Recruitment and retention of all city employees — including police and fire — through salary increases, incentives, fixing pay discrepancies, and increasing the minimum hourly wage for full-time city employees to be no less than $15/hour.
• Successful acquisition of more than $22M in grant funding for key initiatives including the Capital Connector Project which will enhance safety, improve transit access, and better connect our city; and the transformation of the Kanawha Manufacturing site into the Learning, Innovation, Food and Technology (LIFT) Center.
• Return of the Charleston Sternwheel Regatta which generated $40.1M in economic impact, supported more than 9,000 jobs, and attracted an estimated 225,000 attendees, in 2025. (Economic Impact: 2024 – $38.8M, 2023-$37.2M, 2022-$31.5M)
• Support of the continued recruitment and expansion of sports tourism as a core economic development strategy, positioning Charleston to compete in one of the fastest-growing sectors of the economy — including the USA Cycling Pro Road National Championships ($6.9 million in economic impact in 2025), USA Gymnastics All GymFest (coming in 2026), and the Spartan Opening Ceremony supporting the West Virginia Spartan Trifecta World Championships — complemented by continued progress toward the Capital Sports Center and a broader focus on activating Charleston’s assets to attract visitors, support local businesses, and drive sustained economic growth.

Goodwin serves as National League of Cities Vice President of the Women in Municipal Government and serves as President of the West Virginia Municipal League Board of Directors. Goodwin, in her role as Mayor, has been honored with the 2025 Women of Distinction Award by Alpha Xi Delta, with the Lydia Main Breaking Boundaries Award by the West Virginia Municipal League, as one of the YWCA’s Women of Achievement, and several times as Best West Virginia Mayor in West Virginia Living’s Best of West Virginia. Goodwin has also received the Distinguished West Virginian Award twice for her meritorious service to the state, been honored as a West Virginia Young Gun, and was selected as a member of Leadership West Virginia. Goodwin has served as the Deputy Secretary of Commerce and Commissioner of Tourism for the State of West Virginia. Goodwin also served as Communications Director for two governors, a congressman, a presidential candidate, and former Charleston Mayor—the late G. Kemp Melton.

Goodwin owned and managed a public relations firm, worked as a TV anchor and reporter, and taught senior-level public relations courses at the Perley Isaac Reed School of Journalism at West Virginia University and the University of Charleston. Goodwin is a graduate of West Virginia University.

Goodwin and her husband Booth have two boys—Joe and Sam.