Annette Dawson Owens

Children’s Advocacy Alliance of Nevada, Community Engagement Manager
Teacher Leader Academy, Cohort 2
Executive Leadership Academy, Cohort 7

Annette Dawson Owens is a lifelong advocate who believes in equity and access to an excellent education for all students. She has worked in both district and charter schools and has studied high performing schools and leaders across the country. She has worked as the School Readiness Policy Director for the Children’s Advocacy Alliance over the past four years. Annette has seen firsthand, quality outcomes that are possible with effective school design, practices and policies.

Annette attended Kindergarten through 12th grade in the Clark County School District and went on to earn an undergraduate degree in Zoology, a Master’s in Education from UNLV, where she was able to student teach under her own Kindergarten teacher, and went on to complete a Master’s in Administration from Sierra Nevada University.

Annette has been appointed by the last three mayors to serve on Henderson’s Community Education Advisory Board, since its inception, and serves on a Charter School Board as well as My Brother’s Keeper Education Equity Task Force. She completed the Teacher Leadership Academy (Cohort 2), the Executive Leadership Academy (Cohort 7), Henderson Leadership, is grateful to be a 2020 Jameson Fellow, and serves on the Compassionate Las Vegas’ Steering Committee.

Annette was recently appointed Nevada’s first White-Riley-Peterson Fellow, studying out of school time with peers across the country. She is certified in Mind Body Medicine and works regularly at the Clark County Detention Center with women who have been incarcerated, in order to give them and also others in the community, health and wellness support.

In January 2025, Annette was appointed to the Nevada State Board of Education by Governor Joe Lombardo and looks forward to leveraging her past experiences and knowledge to advocate for students across our state.

In her free time, she enjoys exploring the great outdoors. Annette looks forward to working together with the community and improving outcomes for all students and families in the great state of Nevada.