Steve Adler (politician)

{{Infobox officeholder

|name = Steve Adler

|image = Austin with Mayor (cropped).jpg

|office = 58th Mayor of Austin

|term_start = January 6, 2015

|term_end = January 6, 2023

|predecessor = Lee Leffingwell

|successor = Kirk Watson

|birth_name = Stephen Ira Adler

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1956|3|23}}

|birth_place = Washington, D.C., U.S.

|death_date =

|death_place =

|party = Democratic

|spouse = Diane Land

|education = Princeton University (BA)
University of Texas at Austin (JD)

|website = {{URL|adlerforaustin.com|Campaign website}}

}}

Stephen Ira Adler (born March 23, 1956) is an American lawyer and politician who served as the 58th mayor of Austin from 2015 to 2023.

Adler has been a practicing attorney in Austin in the areas of eminent domain and civil rights law for 35 years.{{cite web|title=Austin mayoral candidate Steve Adler touts early fundraising lead|url=http://www.statesman.com/news/news/austin-mayoral-candidate-steve-adler-touts-early-f/ngbrr/|website=Austin American Statesman|access-date=September 30, 2014}} For eight years he worked as the chief of staff and later general counsel to Democratic State Senator Eliot Shapleigh in the Texas Legislature. He has also worked with or board chaired Austin-based nonprofits and civic organizations, including the Texas Tribune, Anti-Defamation League, and Ballet Austin.{{cite web|title=What's Steve Adler Done for Austin|url=http://www.theaustinbulldog.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=293:whats-steve-adler-done-for-austin&catid=3:main-articles|website=The Austin Bulldog|access-date=September 24, 2014}}{{cite web|title=Anti-Defamation League Jurisprudence Award|url=http://www.utexas.edu/president/speeches/03112009.pdf|website=University of Texas at Austin|access-date=September 28, 2014}}

A Democrat, Adler was elected to be mayor of Austin in the 2014 mayoral race and was sworn in on January 6, 2015; he was re-elected in 2018. He was the first mayor of Austin to serve under the 10-ONE council system.{{Cite web |title=Mayor {{!}} AustinTexas.gov |url=https://www.austintexas.gov/department/mayor |access-date=2022-10-27 |website=www.austintexas.gov}}{{Cite web|url=https://news.utexas.edu/2015/11/17/making-meaningful-change-out-of-the-10-1-system/#:~:text=The%20City%20Council%2C%20then%20composed%20of%20six%20at-large,to%20study%20public%20sentiment%20regarding%20the%20historic%20transition|title = It's up to the People of Austin to Make Meaningful Change Out of the "10-1" System|date = November 17, 2015}} During Adler's tenure he lifted a ban on camping, sitting, or lying down in public causing Texas governor Greg Abbott to threaten the deployment of state resources to combat the move. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Adler declared a local state of emergency and cancelled Austin's annual SXSW events in 2020. He came under controversy for flying in his private plane to Cabo San Lucas while urging people in Austin to stay home amid rising cases of COVID-19.

Early life and education

Steve Adler was born to a Jewish family[http://www.hadassahmagazine.org/2016/02/14/austin/ Hadassah Magazine: "Austin" By Helen Lippman] February 2016. and first lived in Washington, D.C. and grew up in Kensington, Maryland. His father was a World War II veteran with the U.S. Navy who later became a film editor with CBS News. His mother was a homemaker.{{cite web|title=Steve Adler Launches Mayoral Campaign|url=http://www.theaustinbulldog.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=294:steve-adler-launches-mayoral-campaign&catid=3:main-articles|website=The Austin Bulldog|access-date=September 24, 2014}}

In 1978, he graduated from Princeton University with a B.A. from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs.{{cite book|title=Princeton Alumni Weekly|date=1977|page=18|edition=Volume 78|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=exZbAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA3-PA62 |access-date=September 29, 2014}} He then attended the University of Texas at Austin School of Law and received his juris doctor in 1982. After graduating from the University of Texas, Adler remained in Austin to practice law.{{cite web|title=Steve Adler: 'New Way Forward'|url=http://www.austinchronicle.com/news/2014-05-30/steve-adler/|website=Austin Chronicle|access-date=September 24, 2014}}

Legal career

In the mid-1980s, Steve Adler co-founded the Barron, Graham & Adler LLP law firm, later Barron & Adler, LLP. He represented primarily landowners who were dealing with eminent domain and condemnation cases where the government or a private company seek to acquire their property.{{cite web|title=Mr./Ms. Mayor|url=http://www.atxman.com/mr-ms-mayor|website=Austin Man Magazine|date=August 29, 2014|access-date=September 29, 2014}} In addition to this practice, Adler spent most of the 1980s, his early legal career, doing civil rights employment discrimination cases. This work included representing women as well as Hispanic, African American and other minority workers in federal court, before the Equal Employment and Opportunity Commission and on matters filed with the Austin Human Rights Commission.{{cite web|title=First Time Candidate to Announce Run for Mayor|url=http://impactnews.com/austin-metro/central-austin/first-time-candidate-to-announce-run-for-mayor/|website=Impact News}} He represented clients seeking equal treatment and opportunity in the workplace, redress from sexual harassment and denial of equal pay for equal work.

Adler has argued before state appellate courts, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, and the Texas Supreme Court and was named a Texas Super Lawyer from 2007 to 2013 and one of the Best Lawyers in America in 2007–2014.{{cite web|title=Texas Super Lawyers|url=http://www.superlawyers.com/texas/lawyer/Stephen-I-Adler/7a77cdda-d332-4411-bf4c-7c7ef366de60.html|website=Super Lawyers|access-date=September 24, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140920081201/http://www.superlawyers.com/texas/lawyer/Stephen-I-Adler/7a77cdda-d332-4411-bf4c-7c7ef366de60.html|archive-date=September 20, 2014|url-status=dead}}

Early political career

In 1996, Steve Adler assisted El Paso Democrat Eliot Shapleigh in his run for Texas State Senate. He then served as Senator Shapleigh's chief of staff and later general counsel from 1997 to 2005.{{cite web|title=Legislative Staff: 76th Legislature|url=http://www.hro.house.state.tx.us/pdf/focus/staff76.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110220002122/http://www.hro.house.state.tx.us/pdf/focus/staff76.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 20, 2011|website=Texas House of Representatives|access-date=September 29, 2014}}{{cite web|title=Legislative Staff: 77th Legislature|url=http://www.hro.house.state.tx.us/pdf/focus/staff77.pdf|archive-url=http://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20110220002101/http://www.hro.house.state.tx.us/pdf/focus/staff77.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 20, 2011|website=Texas House of Representatives|access-date=September 30, 2014}}

During Adler's time working in the Texas Senate, he primarily focused on fairness in school funding formulas, teachers' salary issues, state budget policy, environmental protection, and equity and access issues.{{cite web|title=Mayoral Candidate Questions|url=http://austinenvironmentaldems.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Steve-Adler-Mayor.pdf|website=Austin Environmental Democrats|access-date=September 24, 2014}}{{cite web|title=Steve Adler: 'New Way Forward'|url=http://www.austinchronicle.com/news/2014-05-30/steve-adler/|website=The Austin Chronicle|access-date=September 24, 2014}}{{cite web|title=First Time Candidate to Announce Run for Mayor|url=http://impactnews.com/austin-metro/central-austin/first-time-candidate-to-announce-run-for-mayor/|website=Impact News|access-date=September 24, 2014}}

Mayor of Austin (2015–2023)

= Elections =

{{see also|2014 Austin mayoral election|2018 Austin mayoral election}}

File:20140505 Adler Launch Speech.jpg

Steve Adler began his campaign in January 2014 for Austin Mayor and ran on a platform of reforming governance at the Austin City Council.{{cite web|title=Mike Martinez calls out Steve Adler on tax exemption proposal|url=http://www.kvue.com/media/cinematic/video/14628810/mike-martinez-calls-out-steve-adler-on-tax-exemption-proposal/|website=KVUE|access-date=September 24, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141217183815/http://www.kvue.com/media/cinematic/video/14628810/mike-martinez-calls-out-steve-adler-on-tax-exemption-proposal/|archive-date=December 17, 2014|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|title=Property tax exemption proposal worth considering|url=http://www.statesman.com/news/news/opinion/property-tax-exemption-proposal-worth-considering/ngzzz/|website=Austin American Statesman|access-date=September 24, 2014}}{{cite web|title=At Austin mayoral debate, Mike Martinez and Steve Adler trade jabs|url=http://www.statesman.com/news/news/at-austin-mayoral-debate-mike-martinez-and-steve-a/ng5DQ/|website=Austin American Statesman|access-date=September 24, 2014}} His primary issues included governance, traffic congestion, education, affordability, environment and water, and neighborhoods.{{cite web|title=Mayor candidates say city of Austin should help fund pre-K programs|url=http://www.statesman.com/news/news/mayor-candidates-say-city-of-austin-should-help-fu/nhFgk/|website=Austin American Statesman|access-date=September 24, 2014}} Adler entered into a run-off with City Council Member Mike Martinez in November after both candidates failed to get a majority of votes. Adler won the run-off on December 16, 2014, with 67% percent of the total vote.{{cite web|author=Air 1:55PM |url=http://www.kvue.com/elections/ |title=Live Election Results for KVUE in Austin |publisher=KVUE.com |date=March 27, 2018 |access-date=March 21, 2019}}

Adler won reelection in 2018, garnering 59% of the vote in a 7-way race.{{cite web |title=Results November 06, 2018 OFFICIAL Cumulative Results |url=http://traviselectionresults.com/enr/results/display.do?criteria.electionId=20181106&formSubmitted=1 |publisher=Travis County |access-date=October 22, 2019}} He was ineligible to run for reelection in 2022 due to term limits.

=Tenure=

Adler is affiliated with the Democratic Party.{{cite web |title='Stay home,' says US mayor at Mexico beach resort |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-55168634 |website=BBC News |access-date=3 February 2022 |date=3 December 2020}}

Adler was the first mayor to serve as part of the "10–1" City Council system that was approved via referendum by voters during the 2012 election and implemented after the 2014 election.{{cite news |title=Austin's new mayor and city council take office |date=January 6, 2015 |publisher=KXAN-TV| url=http://kxan.com/2015/01/06/austins-new-mayor-and-city-council-take-office/}} Previously, the Austin City Council was composed of six at-large Council members and a mayor. The new system is composed of a mayor and ten Council members representing geographic districts, prompted by Austin's dramatic population growth as well as a recognition that the former system often resulted in an underrepresentation of Austin's minority communities, particularly its rapidly growing Latino population.{{cite news |title=The road to 10–1 |first=Elizabeth |last=Pagano |date=February 1, 2013 |work=Austin Chronicle| url=http://www.austinchronicle.com/news/2013-02-01/the-road-to-10-1/}} For years, the city's political establishment had abided by an unwritten "gentleman's agreement" that reserved one Council seat for a Latino and one for an African American.{{cite news |title=Hispanic Leaders call for change to Gentleman's Agreement, just not yet |first=Daniel |last=Guerra |date=April 23, 2012 |work=KUT| url=http://kut.org/post/hispanic-leaders-call-change-gentlemens-agreement-just-not-yet}}

In May 2017, when the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in Austin announced that it would hold a women-only screening of the movie Wonder Woman, one man wrote Mayor Adler an angry email about allowing the event to take place, in which he urged the boycott of Austin and called women "the second rate gender". Adler's response, in which he facetiously warned the writer that his email account had been "hacked by ... an unusually hostile individual", and listed women's accomplishments, drew national attention.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/news/mayor-on-men-boycotting-all-female-wonder-woman-screening-w485342|title=Mayor Responds to Boycott of All-Female 'Wonder Woman' Screening|last=Chen|first=Joyce|date=June 1, 2017|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=November 9, 2017}}{{cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/movies/2017/06/01/wonder-woman-all-female-screenings-mayor-steve-adler/|title=Wonder Woman: Mayor defends all-female screening|last=Romano|first=Nick|date=June 1, 2017|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|access-date=November 9, 2017}}{{cite web|url=https://www.salon.com/2017/06/02/austin-mayor-wonder-woman-women-only-screening-drafthouse/|title=Austin mayor claps back at "Wonder Woman" women-only screening hater|last=Serena|first=Katie|date=June 2, 2017|work=Salon|access-date=November 9, 2017}}

On April 14, 2019, Adler gave the introductory speech at Pete Buttigieg's announcement of his candidacy for president.Moritz, John, [https://www.caller.com/story/news/local/texas/state-bureau/2019/04/14/austin-mayor-steve-adler-backing-pete-buttigieg-over-beto-orourke/3467433002/ "Austin Mayor Steve Adler backing Buttigieg two weeks after welcoming Beto at hometown rally"], Corpus Christi Caller Times, April 14, 2019.

In 2022, Adler advocated for a $1 million pilot program to provide monthly checks of $1,000 to 85 low-income families in order to examine the effects of guaranteed income.{{Cite web |last=Fechter |first=Joshua |date=2022-05-05 |title=Austin becomes the first Texas city to experiment with "guaranteed income" |url=https://www.texastribune.org/2022/05/05/austin-texas-guaranteed-income-program/ |access-date=2022-05-05 |website=The Texas Tribune |language=en}}

= Race relations =

File:LBJ Foundation DSC 5800 (34995181326).jpg's Future forum regarding the Austin Mayor's Task Force Report on Institutional Racism and Systemic Inequities, 2017.]]

In March 2015, Adler denounced an anonymous group's attempt to inflame discussion of gentrification in historically black neighborhoods of East Austin by placing stickers on the doors of East Side businesses that proclaimed them off-limits to non-whites.{{cite news |title=Austin Mayor Steve Adler: 'White people' stickers appalling, offensive|first=Ciara |last=O'Rourke |date=March 18, 2015 |work=Austin American-Statesman |url=http://www.statesman.com/news/news/crime-law/exclusively-for-white-people-stickers-found-on-sug/nkY7f/}} "This is an appalling and offensive display of ignorance in our city," said Adler. "Our city is a place where respect for all people is a part of our spirit and soul. We will keep it that way."{{cite web|title=Austin mayor outraged by 'white people only' stickers posted on businesses|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2015/03/19/us/austin-white-people-sticker/index.html|website=CNN|access-date=March 19, 2015|date=March 19, 2015}}

Adler has been a proponent of the Equity Office .{{cite web|author=Comms |url=http://www.mayoradler.com/great-cities-do-big-things-state-of-our-city-feb-16-2016-austin-texas/ |title="Great Cities Do Big Things" – State of Our City Feb. 16, 2016 Austin, Texas – Mayor Steve Adler |publisher=Mayoradler.com |access-date=March 21, 2019}} Following a six-month search, Brion Oaks was selected September 2016 as the city's first Chief Equity Officer.{{Cite web |url=http://www.statesman.com/news/news/local/brion-oaks-named-citys-first-chief-equity-officer/nsZSq/ |title=Brion Oaks named city's first chief equity officer | www.statesman.com |access-date=September 24, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160924101448/http://www.statesman.com/news/news/local/brion-oaks-named-citys-first-chief-equity-officer/nsZSq/ |archive-date=September 24, 2016 |url-status=dead }}

In 2017, Adler hosted a Future forum at the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum regarding his Task Force Report on Institutional Racism and Systemic Inequities.

In June 2021, Adler was one of 11 U.S. mayors to form Mayors Organized for Reparations and Equity (MORE), a coalition of municipal leaders dedicated to starting pilot reparations programs in their cities.[https://www.npr.org/2021/06/18/1008242159/11-u-s-mayors-commit-to-developing-pilot-projects-for-reparations "11 U.S. Mayors Commit To Developing Pilot Projects For Reparations,"] Associated Press (June 18, 2021)

=Homelessness=

In 2016, Adler and the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development declared that significant progress had been made to house homeless veterans.{{cite web|author=Claire Ricke |url=http://kxan.com/2016/08/19/austin-plan-to-house-all-homeless-veterans-accomplished/ |title=Austin: Plan to house all homeless veterans accomplished |publisher=KXAN-TV |date=August 19, 2016 |access-date=March 21, 2019}} Despite progress in the area of veterans, work remains to be done to further reduce homelessness and associated drug use. During the summer of 2016, several people were hospitalized during an outbreak of K2 overdoses around the Austin Resource Center for the Homeless.{{cite web|author=CBS Austin |url=http://keyetv.com/news/local/officials-concerned-about-k2-outbreak-in-austin |title=Officials concerned about K2 outbreak in Austin | KEYE |date=August 25, 2016 |publisher=KEYE-TV |access-date=March 21, 2019}}

In June 2019, following a federal court ruling on homeless people sleeping in public,{{cite web|url=http://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2018/09/04/15-35845.pdf |title=Opinions |date=2018 |website=cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov}} Adler and the City Council lifted a 25-year-old ban on camping, sitting, or lying down in public unless doing so causes an obstruction. The resolution also included the approval of a new housing-focused shelter in South Austin.{{cite news |url=https://www.austinchronicle.com/daily/news/2019-06-21/council-bites-the-bullet-helps-the-homeless/ |title=Council Bites the Bullet, Helps the Homeless |author=Sanders, Austin |work=The Austin Chronicle |date=June 21, 2019 |access-date=January 9, 2020}} On October 2, 2019, Texas Governor Greg Abbott sent a letter to Adler threatening to deploy state resources to combat the camping ban repeal.{{Cite web|url=https://gov.texas.gov/news/post/governor-abbott-sends-letter-to-mayor-adler-regarding-homelessness-crisis-in-austin|title=Governor Abbott Sends Letter To Mayor Adler Regarding Homelessness Crisis In Austin|website=gov.texas.gov|language=en|access-date=2020-02-01}}{{cite web |url=https://www.texasobserver.org/homelessness-austin-greg-abbott-crisis/ |title=Greg Abbott vs. Austin's Homeless |author=Bova, Gus |work=Texas Observer |date=November 1, 2019 |access-date=January 9, 2020}} Adler responded by denying that the rule changes increased crime, but invited Abbott to join groups related to combatting homelessness.{{cite web |url=https://www.texasstandard.org/stories/austin-mayor-steve-adler-responds-to-greg-abbotts-challenge-on-citys-homelessness-policy/ |title=Austin Mayor Steve Adler Responds To Greg Abbott's Challenge On City's Homelessness Policy |author=Ament, Jill |work=Texas Standard |date=October 3, 2019 |access-date=January 10, 2020}} On October 26, 2019, Adler and Governor Abbott clashed over Twitter after Abbott posted a video of a man vandalizing a car in Downtown Austin, in an effort to criticize the City Council's camping ordinance. Adler responded by pointing out that the video was filmed in 2018 before the ordinance took effect and that the man in question was not homeless, saying "This isn't the first time you've fallen victim to social media trolls trying to mislead and scare Austinites."{{cite web |url=https://www.kxan.com/top-stories/governor-abbott-and-mayor-adler-clash-over-homelessness-again/ |title=Gov. Abbott and Mayor Adler clash over homelessness again |last1=Carroll |first1=Mason |last2=Rodriguez |first2=Candy |publisher=KXAN-TV |date=October 26, 2019 |access-date=January 10, 2020}} Under Adler's tenure, in 2020 the homeless population in Austin reached a 10-year high as counted by the Ending Community Homelessness Coalition.{{Cite web|date=2020-05-19|title=Austin Sees 10-Year High In The Number Of People Experiencing Homelessness|url=https://www.kut.org/austin/2020-05-19/austin-sees-10-year-high-in-the-number-of-people-experiencing-homelessness|access-date=2021-04-02|website=KUT Radio, Austin's NPR Station|language=en}} Austin citizens successfully petitioned for a referendum on the issue.{{cite web | url=https://www.kut.org/austin/2023-03-09/austins-had-a-lot-of-petition-fueled-elections-in-the-last-few-years-that-could-change | title=Austin's had a lot of petition-fueled elections in the last few years. That could change | date=March 9, 2023 }}"On May 1, 2021, Austin voters approved Proposition B, making it a criminal offense (Class C misdemeanor punishable by a fine) for anyone to sit, lie down, or camp in public areas and prohibiting solicitation of money or other things of value at specific hours and locations."{{Cite web |title=Proposition B and Homeless in Austin |url=https://www.austintexas.gov/propb-homeless |access-date=9 September 2024 |website=austintexas.gov}}

=COVID-19 pandemic and SXSW cancellation=

On March 6, 2020, Adler declared a local state of emergency as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Adler, along with other city officials, also responded to the outbreak by cancelling Austin's annual SXSW events for the first time since they started in 1987 due to the ongoing health concerns.{{Cite web|url=https://www.livescience.com/sxsw-cancelled-coronavirus.html|title = SXSW canceled amid coronavirus fears|website = Live Science|date = March 6, 2020}}{{cite web| url = https://www.dallasnews.com/news/public-health/2020/03/06/sxsw-festival-in-austin-is-canceled-due-to-coronavirus-fears/| title = SXSW festival in Austin is canceled due to coronavirus fears| date = March 7, 2020}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/coronavirus/austin-considers-spring-festivals-sxsw-in-light-of-covid-19-spread/2325885/|title = Austin Cancels SXSW over COVID-19 Concerns| date=March 6, 2020 }}{{Cite web|url=https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/486371-austin-cancels-sxsw-over-coronavirus-declares-local-disaster|title=Austin cancels SXSW over coronavirus, declares 'local disaster'|date=March 6, 2020}}{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2020/03/sxsw-canceled-2020-coronavirus-1202876477/|title = SXSW Cancels 2020 Edition Amid Exits over Coronavirus|date = March 6, 2020}}

In November 2020, Adler flew to Cabo San Lucas on a private plane with eight or more family members and friends, all from multiple different households, and attended the wedding of his daughter in an inside venue with 20+ individuals.{{Cite web|last=Plohetski|first=Tony|title=Austin mayor stressed residents 'need to stay home.' He was vacationing in Cabo at the time|url=https://www.statesman.com/news/20201202/austin-mayor-stressed-residents-lsquoneed-to-stay-homersquo-he-was-vacationing-in-cabo-at-time|access-date=2020-12-02|website=Austin American-Statesman|language=en}} Controversy ensued as Adler has encouraged people to stay home amid rising caseloads in Austin.{{Cite web|title=As mayor urged Austin to 'stay home,' he was vacationing in Mexico following daughter's wedding|url=https://www.kvue.com/article/news/investigations/defenders/austin-mayor-steve-adler-coronavirus-covid-19-daughter-wedding-vacation/269-d76bf9b8-54bb-4736-9b00-80fdf2953145|access-date=2020-12-02|website=kvue.com|date=December 2, 2020|language=en-US}} Adler has stated that while he regrets making the trip, he "violated no orders or guidelines."{{Cite web|date=2020-12-02|title=Austin mayor went to Mexico while urging people to stay home|url=https://apnews.com/article/mexico-coronavirus-pandemic-austin-texas-26340eabdc1d450e21ba650e42060f30|access-date=2020-12-03|website=AP NEWS}}

Work with community organizations

Adler has been involved in a number of community organizations in the Greater Austin region. Adler has served on the Ballet Austin board since the late 1990s.{{cite web|title=2014/15 Board of Directors|url=http://www.balletaustin.org/about/board.php|website=Ballet Austin|access-date=September 30, 2014}} From 2009 to 2012, Adler served as the board chair of the Anti-Defamation League Austin Region where he contributed to the creation of the Austin Hate Crimes Task Force and expanding the "No Place for Hate" anti-bullying program to schools throughout Central Texas.{{cite web|title=Anti-Defamation League National Leadership Conference|url=http://www.c-span.org/video/?305723-1/antidefamation-league-national-leadership-conference|website=C-SPAN|access-date=September 30, 2014}}{{cite web|title=Anti-Defamation League Austin|url=http://austin.adl.org/|website=Anti-Defamation League Austin}} In 2010, he joined the board of Girls Empowerment Network (formerly GENAustin){{Cite web|url=https://www.girlsempowermentnetwork.org/about-us/mission|title = Girls Empowerment Network}}{{cite web|title=Articles of Incorporation for the Ophelia Education Foundation|url=http://www.theaustinbulldog.org/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=317&limit=5&limitstart=0&order=name&dir=DESC&Itemid=22|website=The Austin Bulldog|access-date=September 30, 2014}}

Adler was on the founding board of directors for the Texas Tribune in 2009. He was later appointed board chair, a role he resigned from in January 2014 in order to launch his run for Austin mayor.{{cite web|title=Form 990 Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax|url=http://www.theaustinbulldog.org/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=317&limit=5&limitstart=0&order=name&dir=DESC&Itemid=22|website=The Austin Bulldog|access-date=September 30, 2014}}

On May 25, 2021, Adler appeared as a guest on episode 1657 of The Joe Rogan Experience.