Ron Nirenberg

Before serving as one of San Antonio’s longest-tenured mayors, Ron spent his childhood in Texas. His father Ken was born to immigrants from Eastern Europe and worked in microprocessor and software development. Ron’s mother, Charlotte, a Malaysian immigrant of Filipino and Indian heritage, became a proud citizen in 1976 and raised Ron, Marc, and Heather in their home in Austin. As a child, Ron was surrounded by cultural diversity that was rooted in family, hard work, and gratitude for the opportunities of America. He developed a core commitment to civic participation and equal opportunity for every person.

After high school, Ron attended Trinity University (where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree) and the University of Pennsylvania (earning a Master of Arts in communications). It was there that he met his future wife, Erika Prosper, who was attending the same school. They moved back to San Antonio and were married in 2001. She worked in advertising, and he directed policy and civic research projects in 22 cities across the country for the Annenberg Public Policy Center. In 2009, Ron returned to Trinity, serving as General Manager of KRTU-FM while teaching courses in the Department of Communication.

It wasn’t long after Erika gave birth to their son Jonah that Ron began to deepen his involvement in the San Antonio community. Spurred by a desire to strengthen the city for future generations—and with encouragement from neighbors, friends, and Erika—Ron decided to pursue public service full-time. He was elected to the San Antonio City Council representing District 8 for two terms. He was then elected to four consecutive terms as Mayor of San Antonio, terming out in June 2025.

Ron returned to Trinity again in 2025 as the Calgaard Distinguished Professor of Practice. He is teaching students about how a modern, major metropolitan in the United States functions. His classes focus on how community is created, how it thrives, the challenges it faces, and how leaders and systems intervene to improve residents’ lives. He hopes to inspire young leaders to pursue their own journeys in serving their community.

Today, Ron’s service to the public continues to be driven by his love of San Antonio and a desire to make the world a better place for future generations. He, Erika, and Jonah enjoy traveling, but they love coming back home even more.