Alan Autry grew up as a migrant farm worker in the fields of the San Joaquin Valley. A star quarterback in high school, Autry won a college scholarship and was drafted by the Green Bay Packers. After professional football, he made his way to Hollywood to become an actor, starring in films and television. He is best known for his role as Captain Bubba Skinner on the television series In the Heat of the Night. In November 2000, he was elected mayor of Fresno and served through January 2009, making the eradication of chronic homelessness and school reform cornerstones of his administration. Alan is currently leading a mentoring program for at-risk incarcerated youth at the Juvenile Justice Center.