Austin Mayor Kirk Watson is an attorney and 42-year resident of Austin. A native of North Texas, Watson attended Baylor University and Baylor Law School, where he graduated first in his class. He also proudly holds an honorary degree from Austin Community College. Watson won his first term as Austin mayor in 1997 and was re-elected with 84% of the vote. He returned to City Hall in January 2023 after serving more than 13 years in the Texas Senate. As a public servant, Watson is well-known as the driving force behind the revitalization of downtown Austin; the opening of Austin-Bergstrom International Airport; the preservation of thousands of acres of open space; the long-term protection of Austin’s water supply; the launch of the Office of the Police Monitor; the creation of the University of Texas at Austin medical school; and many other initiatives. He is the recipient of numerous honors, including Austinite of the Year and the prestigious President’s Citation from UT Austin. Upon returning to the mayor's office, Watson became part of the leadership team for the U.S. Conference of Mayors, serving as Vice-Chair of the Standing Committee on Transportation. He and his wife of 45 years, Liz, have two adult children and two perfect grandchildren. Watson is a grateful cancer survivor.