Ivy Taylor is an American academic administrator and former politician who served as the mayor of San Antonio, Texas, from 2014 to 2017. She assumed office on June 10, 2014, following the resignation of Mayor Julián Castro, and was subsequently elected in a city council runoff in June 2015, becoming the first African American woman to serve as mayor of San Antonio. Taylor was born in Vicksburg, Mississippi, and earned a Bachelor of Arts from Spelman College, a Master of City and Regional Planning from Cornell University, and a Ph.D. in urban studies and public policy from the University of Texas at Austin.
Prior to her mayoral tenure, Taylor served on the San Antonio City Council, representing District 2. She focused on neighborhood improvements, housing policy, and urban development during her time in public office. After leaving the mayor's office, Taylor pursued a career in higher education. She has held faculty and administrative positions, including serving as interim president of Rust College, a historically Black college in Holly Springs, Mississippi.
Taylor’s tenure as mayor was noted for her emphasis on data-driven governance and community engagement, though she faced criticism for her handling of certain infrastructure and transparency issues. She did not seek re-election in 2017 and was succeeded by Ron Nirenberg.