Round Rock, Texas, is one of the fastest-growing cities in the country, and its leaders are grappling with how to manage that growth while preserving the community's character. In the latest episode of the Rock Solid: Round Rock Business Leaders Podcast, titled "Kristin Stevens | Building Round Rock's Future Through Service," host Bryan Eisenberg speaks with Mayor Pro Tem Kristin Stevens about her journey from a 22-year career in speech pathology to elected office, and the lessons she carries from her father, longtime civic leader Charlie Culpepper.
The episode, released September 30, 2026, traces Round Rock's transformation from a farming community of fewer than 5,000 residents in the 1970s to a city approaching 150,000. That growth has occurred largely in Williamson County, which Stevens notes is the fastest-growing county in the nation. The conversation explores the tension between ambitious goals and responsible growth, a balance that Stevens says is central to her work on the City Council.
Stevens, the daughter of a former podcast guest, represents a familial continuity in civic leadership. She credits her father with instilling a stewardship mindset and a commitment to accessibility. That ethic is reflected in her own service and in the organizations her family supports, including Blue Santa, Meals on Wheels, Sertoma, Rotary, Frontier Days, and the Sandbass Shootout.
In the episode, Stevens describes Round Rock's identity in plain terms: "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." She also addresses the challenges of public service in the social media age, emphasizing the need for "thick skin" and direct engagement with constituents, and combating misinformation on issues ranging from data centers to public comment ordinances.
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 her father'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. The episode is available now wherever podcasts are heard.
