bigcitysmalltown with Bob Rivard

Liz Tullis never gave up advocating for her son Conrad after his near-drowning and anoxic brain injury as an infant. Neither did Dr. Peter Fox, the founder and head of the University of Texas Health Science Center's Research Imaging Institute in San Antonio; and they are this week's guests.  Listen as they discuss their unlikely journey to change how the medical community views pediatric...

Today's guests are Bonnie Prosser Elder and David Zammiello, the volunteer co-chairs of Mayor Ron Nirenberg’s 15-member Charter Review Commission, formed last November to explore amendments to the city charter for voters to consider on the Nov. 5 ballot. 

This week’s guest is Joe Holley, a longtime Texas journalist and the author of a new book titled “Power: How the Electric Co-Op Movement Energized the Lone Star State.” Power is a book that anyone who cares about Texas history and the state’s development will want to read, and Joe will be a featured author at this year’s San Antonio Book Festival at the Central Library, Saturday, April 13.       

San Antonio entrepreneurs and startups often find themselves meeting with Cat Dizon, the chief operating officer at venture capital firm Active Capital and the chairwoman of the Geekdom board. The former senior Rackspace executive is the gatekeeper to San Antonio's leading seed fund, and is always on the lookout for young, promising businesses.  

Innovative interpretations of theatrical classics are creating a buzz in San Antonio at the San Pedro Playhouse under this week's guest, returning CEO Asia Ciaravino, who continues to re-energize the city's oldest performing arts organization. April's performances of "A Midsummer's Night Sueño" suggest this will not be a traditional performance of the Shakespeare clas...

Why is affordable housing in San Antonio everyone's problem? This week’s guest is Mark Carmona, the city of San Antonio’s first Chief Housing Officer, a position created by City Council in 2018 when council members first approved Mayor Ron Nirenberg’s housing initiative. Carmona overees the city’s Strategic Housing Implementation Plan (SHIP), and previously served as CEO of Haven for Hope and...

A special episode on food sustainability in San Antonio from farm to table that revisits two of the first episodes of bigcitysmalltown. Look back with us as food systems activist Mitch Hagney and Chef Elizabeth Johnson discuss the sustainability of food systems and how we can increase access to local, healthy food for the citizens of San Antonio. Their unique perspectives take on a different flavo...

How is San Antonio perfectly positioned to blend LatAm culture with an American mindset to attract and retain talent? This week’s guest is Ileana Gonzales, the CEO of Tech Bloc, a position she assumed in 2023. Like a storm in 2015, Tech Bloc’s impact was significant and rapid, and energized the previously unorganized tech community. Gonzales is a Guadalajara-born millennial who came to San Antonio...

Can you afford to die? This week’s guest is Maura Bobbitt, a death rights advocate focused on envisioning a future where our death and grief practices can be individually- and community-focused, radically accepting, environmentally-friendly, and divested from capitalist forces.  

Governor Greg Abbott and the Republican-controlled Texas Legislature failed to improve public school funding, despite a $33 billion surplus and the high cost of inflation. Listen as this week’s guest, Dr. Jaime Aquino, shares his vision for education as superintendent of the San Antonio Independent School District, the city’s largest inner city public school district with about 45,000 students, 90...

This week’s guest is Veronica Salazar, Executive Vice President for Business Affairs and Chief Enterprise Development Officer at the University of Texas at San Antonio.  Could UTSA's Institutute of Texan Cultures become the future site of a new Spurs arena? Listen as Veronica Salazar discusses the future of UTSA's presence downtown. The university’s Chief Enterprise Development Officer,...

This week’s guest is Humberto G. Garcia, a San Antonio attorney, avid golfer, and author of "Mustang Miracle," a book chronicling the inspiring small-town Texas story of five Mexican-American caddies in segregated Del Rio who overcame seemingly insurmountable obstacles to form the San Felipe Mustangs Golf Team.  Overcoming racism, exclusion, and poverty in a deeply segregated city and st...

This week’s guest is Charles Blank, co-founder of the local nonprofit River Aid San Antonio (RASA), the volunteer organization that leads monthly cleanups of litter and dumped materials that perpetually clog and deface San Antonio’s watershed, its network of creeks and the San Antonio River. Saturday, Feb. 17 will mark the 29th anniversary of Basura Bash, the annual, one-day, citywide anti-litter...

On this episode of bigcitysmalltown with Bob Rivard, Bob is joined by Nicholas Frank, senior arts reporter for the San Antonio Report as they speak with Juan Tejeda, founder of the San Antonio Conjunto Festival. He has published a family memoir centered on the life of his brother Frank Tejeda, former U.S. Marine and decorated Vietnam War vet, state legislator, city councilman, Congressman, and Sou...

This week’s guest is Laura Terrill, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood South Texas, a position she assumed last year following the retirement of longtime CEO Jeffrey Hons. Laura joined Planned Parenthood in 2012 as executive director of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Orregon in Portland. Before coming to San Antonio, she served as vice president of external affairs at Planned Parenthood of M...

This week on the bigcitysmalltown podcast, host Bob Rivard welcomes Carlos Contreras, CEO and President of Goodwill Industries in San Antonio. As Carlos shares insights about San Antonio’s economic challenges—with nearly half its population financially insecure—he underscores Goodwill’s mission: lifting individuals above precarious living conditions towards sustainability and self-sufficiency.  Go...

The setting is Velocity TX, once a cold storage complex now reimagined by Rene Dominguez and his team at the Texas Research and Technology Foundation (TRTF). They're igniting growth in the city's near East side with a focus on bioscience and healthcare. Dominguez reflects on TRTF's four-decade journey since General McDermott's ambitious vision for a research park akin to North...

bigcitysmalltown will return on January 8th, 2024 with a brand new episode. We extend heartfelt thanks to Graham Weston and his company Western Urban, alongside Geekdom for their unwavering support throughout the year. Our journey has been enriched by the people who contribute daily to San Antonio's progress – you can catch up on all episodes at bigcitysmalltown.com.

On this episode of bigcitysmalltown, host Bob Rivard welcomes Fr. Eddy Morales. On May 24th, 2022, Uvalde was shaken by Texas' deadliest school shooting at Robb Elementary School - 19 students and two teachers perished. In grief's shadow, Father Eddy guided his community through loss with funerals for over half the victims and nurturing healing in its aftermath. Recognized nationally for...

In this episode, host Bob Rivard converses with special guest Trish DeBerry, CEO and President of Centro San Antonio. They discuss the evolution and revitalization of downtown San Antonio, its challenges amid corporate departures and COVID-19 impacts, as well as the future vision for urban development. Key Points Discussed: 1. Centro San Antonio's Role in Urban Development: Centro San Antonio...

In this episode of bigcitysmalltown, host Bob Rivard welcomes  Dr. Ryan Lugalia-Hollon - CEO of UP Partnership, a non-profit education advocacy organization in San Antonio. Lugalia-Hollon shares his journey from Chicago to San Antonio, his family background, and the innovative initiatives he's leading to enhance education and community development in the city. Key Discussions: Personal Backgr...

Here's a brief show note for the "Big City Small Town" podcast episode: This week's episode of  bigcitysmall town" dives into the impactful work of Bria Woods and Iris Dimmick, who collaborated on the FREED project, highlighting the challenges and triumphs of individuals released from Texas state prisons as they reintegrate into society. The project, a deep exploration int...

 In this episode with bigcitysmalltown , host Bob Rivard welcomes Beto Altamirano, a renowned innovator and entrepreneur hailing from San Antonio, South Texas. Altamirano, widely recognized for his influential role in tech and civic engagement, shares his inspiring journey from his upbringing in the Rio Grande Valley to becoming a pivotal figure in urban technology and government. Episode Highligh...

In this episode of bigcitysmalltown with Bob Rivard, the conversation delves into the fascinating world of art, culture, and city revitalization with our special guest, Emily Neff, the Kelso director at the San Antonio Museum of Art. Emily's extensive experience as a museum director and curator, combined with her passion for enriching cultural assets, brings a fresh perspective to the thrivin...

On this episode of bigcitysmall town with Bob Rivard, Bob welcomes Jenna Saucedo-Herrera, the leader of the Greater San Antonio Economic Development Foundation.    Jenna Saucedo-Herrera is the CEO and president of greater: SATX, a private, public nonprofit organization dedicated to driving economic growth and attracting quality jobs to San Antonio and the region. With years of experience in econom...