Leadership and Legacy: Kristin Stevens on the Future of Round Rock

Episode 93 of Rock Solid: Round Rock Business Leaders Podcast, titled "Kristin Stevens | Building Round Rock's Future Through Service," hosted by Bryan Eisenberg, released September 30, 2026, features a candid conversation with Round Rock Mayor Pro Tem Kristin Stevens. The daughter of longtime civic leader Charlie Culpepper, Stevens reflects on inheriting a stewardship mindset and now helping steer one of the fastest growing cities in the country. This episode is unique as it features the daughter of a former guest, marking a familial continuity in civic leadership.

The episode traces Round Rock's arc from a farming community of fewer than 5,000 residents in the 1970s to a city approaching 150,000. Stevens and Eisenberg explore several key themes: Balancing ambitious goals with responsible growth in Williamson County, the fastest-growing county in the nation.

• Leaving a 22-year speech pathology career to serve on City Council
• Combating misinformation on issues from data centers to public comment ordinances
• The role of Blue Santa, Meals on Wheels, Sertoma, Rotary, Frontier Days, and the Sandbass Shootout in shaping her family's service ethic

Stevens describes Round Rock's identity in plain terms, telling Eisenberg:

We have a very accepting and welcoming and warm culture here. We expect the best, right? But we accept and we bring in and we welcome everybody and all ideas and all businesses and the stories of the people that come here.

Stevens addresses the challenges of public service in the social media age, emphasizing the need for 'thick skin' and direct engagement with constituents.

The conversation surfaces a full-circle Round Rock moment: Stevens was the first person ever to get engaged at Dell Diamond, during the inaugural Friday night fireworks game after voters passed the hotel-motel tax that funded the stadium. Her husband, who studied architecture and now works in construction, coordinated a heart-shaped fireworks display on Good Friday nearly 26 years ago. Today, her father takes her older two sons to dollar hot dog nights with Papa, and her youngest son works as a parking lot attendant for the Round Rock Express. Stevens also credits Charlie Culpepper's lesson to remain accessible, mentors through Leadership Round Rock, Ascend, and YMCA leadership classes, and urges newcomers to volunteer strategically rather than dilute their impact.

About Rock Solid: Round Rock Business Leaders Podcast

Hosted by New York Times bestselling author and keynote speaker Bryan Eisenberg, Rock Solid explores the journeys of entrepreneurs, nonprofits, and civic leaders shaping Round Rock, Texas. From startups to established institutions, each episode spotlights the people and ideas fueling one of America's fastest growing communities. Episode 93 is available now wherever podcasts are heard.