Kristin Stevens on Leadership, Growth, and Service in Round Rock

Round Rock Mayor Pro Tem Kristin Stevens grew up in a family of civic servants and now helps lead a city transforming from a farming community of fewer than 5,000 residents in the 1970s to one approaching 150,000 people. In a recent episode of the Rock Solid: Round Rock Business Leaders Podcast, Stevens told host Bryan Eisenberg how that stewardship mindset took root. The episode, titled "Kristin Stevens | Building Round Rock's Future Through Service," was released on September 30, 2026.

Stevens left a 22-year career in speech pathology to serve on City Council, a decision shaped by her father, longtime civic leader Charlie Culpepper. She now helps steer a city in Williamson County, the fastest-growing county in the nation. That growth brings pressure to balance ambitious goals with responsible development, she said, and to keep residents informed amid a flood of misinformation on issues ranging from data centers to public comment ordinances.

"We have a very accepting and welcoming and warm culture here," Stevens told Eisenberg. "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 also addressed the demands of public service in the social media age, stressing the need for "thick skin" and direct engagement with constituents. Her family's service ethic runs through organizations including Blue Santa, Meals on Wheels, Sertoma, Rotary, Frontier Days, and the Sandbass Shootout. She mentors through Leadership Round Rock, Ascend, and YMCA leadership classes, and urges newcomers to volunteer strategically rather than dilute their impact.

One full-circle moment illustrates how deeply the Stevens family is woven into Round Rock. She 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.

For Texas businesses, Stevens's message underscores how civic leadership and local institutions can shape a fast-growing region's identity. Round Rock's welcoming culture and its emphasis on responsible growth are central to attracting employers and families alike, she suggested. Companies considering expansion in Williamson County will find a community that expects the best but welcomes all ideas and all businesses. Stevens's own transition from healthcare to public service also highlights the value of diverse professional experience in local government, particularly as cities face complex decisions about infrastructure, technology, and public trust. The episode is part of a broader effort to spotlight the people and ideas fueling one of America's fastest-growing communities, offering a blueprint for how business and civic leaders can work together as Texas continues to grow.