Mary Beth Scow was born and raised in Denver, Colorado. While in high school, she was an exchange student to the Netherlands and was an honors graduate. She attended Brigham Young University, graduating cum laude with a bachelor's degree in community health education. After moving to Las Vegas in 1977 with her husband, Steven, and their three children, she became active in many capacities in the community, including working on numerous political campaigns, several school district committees, zoning task forces and the Parent Teacher Association, including president of the Sunset Area Council PTA and state board of managers. She was chosen as Nevada Mother of the Year in 2009.

In 1996 she was asked to run for the Clark County School Board, which she did, and was elected to three terms, serving from 1997 to 2008.  She served as chair, vice chair and clerk of the Board during that tenure, as well as on the State Mathematics Standards Writing Team, Clark County Debt Management Commission, the Southern Nevada Regional Planning Coalition, and the Nevada Association of School Boards Board of Directors. At the end of her tenure she received the CCSD Excellence in Education Hall of Fame award. Education remains one of her great passions.

Mary Beth was elected to represent the residents of District G on the County Commission in 2010 and was re-elected in 2014. District G is one of the County's most diverse, taking in the communities of Boulder City, much of Henderson and unincorporated Clark County.  As a Commissioner, Mary Beth worked hard to revitalize neighborhoods and restore community pride in the unincorporated areas.  During that tenure she also served as chair of the Southern Nevada Water Authority, chair of the Las Vegas Valley Water District, chair of the Clark County Health District, a member of the AB 394 Technical Advisory Committee to reorganize the Clark County School District, and a member of the Family Services and Juvenile Justice Policy Committee.

Mary Beth has continued to serve in the community on the Las Vegas Boy Scout Council Board of Directors, Clark County School District Partnership Advisory Committee, and the Public Education Foundation Board of Director. She presently serves as on the boards of A Better Choice PAC, American Mothers Nevada Chapter, Mater Charter Schools, and Silver State Schools Credit Union.

Family has brought Mary Beth the greatest happiness in life.  She considers her greatest achievements to be in her roles as wife to her husband Steven, mother to nine children, grandmother to 39, and great-grandmother to three.