A return conversation with Jason Crespin for Hey Amarillo's 350th episode. Crespin was the guest in this podcast's second episode ever (October 9, 2017) and returns to share about his role as Managing/Artistic Director at Amarillo Little Theatre and the legacy of the late Allen Shankles, who passed away March 20, 2024. Crespin also turns the tables…

A conversation with Cindi Bulla, the broker/owner behind Realty Central Services and a recent primary candidate for Texas House District 87. Bulla shares the story of how she ran away from home at age 15 and ended up in Amarillo, how she found her way into careers in banking and construction before getting into real estate, and why she decided to r…

A conversation with Tate Atkinson, one-half of the husband-wife duo behind Free Cheese Prints, a custom screen printing shop in Amarillo. Known for their Amarillo-focused souvenir t-shirts and constant presence at local popups and community markets, Free Cheese has an intense loyal following and a compelling origin story. Atkinson shares with host …

A conversation with Micha Boyett, Jason's youngest sister and the author of the new book Blessed Are the Rest of Us. Micha is a poet, writer, pastor and podcaster whose work includes advocacy for individuals with Down syndrome. She's the cohost of the popular podcast The Lucky Few and will be preaching in Amarillo at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church o…

A conversation with Isaiah Flores, a 2023 Caprock graduate who is currently completing his first year as a student at Harvard University. As profiled in the July/August 2023 issue of Brick & Elm, Flores is one of two Caprock students accepted last year into Harvard’s freshman class. Home for Spring Break, Flores sat down with host Jason Boyett for …

A conversation with Gina Woodward, the Regional Director of America's SBDC at WTAMU. Gina is a Canyon resident who grew up here and has earned multiple degrees from WT. At the SBDC, she helps clients in the top 25 counties of the Texas Panhandle start and expand small businesses. She shares with host Jason Boyett about the no-cost, one-on-one consu…

A conversation with Scott Houdashell, the inventor of the Eggmazing Egg Decorator and, with Curtis McGill, the owner of the toy and game company Hey Buddy Hey Pal. A former Farmers Insurance agent, Houdashell had always worked with his hands, and in 2015 came up with an idea for decorating Easter eggs without the messy dyes. What began with a hot g…

A conversation with Darlene Martin, a retired Amarillo ISD first-grade teacher, reading instructor, community volunteer and the founder of Westminster Presbyterian Church's Bear PAWS program, which serves students at Austin Middle School. Martin shares with host Jason Boyett about her teaching career and more than 20 years of service as a local hos…

A conversation with Britten Ratcliff, a Tascosa High School senior. Host Jason Boyett starts this interview by explaining that he is typically uninterested in interviewing high school students for the show, but Ratcliff changed his mind about that rule. A member of the FirstBank Southwest Banking Advisory Council and founder of The Neighborhood, a …

A conversation with Robert Altman, who is retired from two prominent local careers, first as a manager at the women's clothing store Kline's of Amarillo and then as an assistant scout executive with the Golden Spread Council of the Boy Scouts of America. Altman, whose family owned and operated multiple Kline's locations in the city until the 1990s—…

A conversation with Sonja Gross, a Public Involvement Specialist with the Texas Department of Transportation and a former Public Information Officer for TXDOT. Gross arrived in Amarillo from Georgia around 20 years ago, and embarked on a communications career that took her from the local newspaper to the City of Amarillo to her current position wit…

A conversation with Mark D. Williams, an Amarillo educator and author who has fly fished all over the world, written a variety of fishing and travel books, been published in dozens of national magazines, and taught for nearly 30 years at North Heights Alternative School. He's also an entrepreneur, consultant and public speaker. In this episode, Wil…

A conversation with Kori Cooper Clements, a speech pathologist with Canyon ISD and a local volleyball legend. Kori was inducted into the Panhandle Sports Hall of Fame last year with her father, former WTAMU basketball coach Rick Cooper—making them the first father-daughter duo to be inducted. One of the best players to ever come from this area, Cle…

A conversation with Joseph Peterson, an Edward Jones Financial Advisor serving Amarillo, and the city's 2023 Black Man of the Year. Born in Birmingham, Alabama, Peterson moved with his family to Amarillo when he was a child. He played football for WTAMU before opening his office in Amarillo. Since then, he's built a reputation for community involve…

A conversation with Diane Dick, a legendary model and agent who opened the Diane Dick International Modeling and Talent Agency in Amarillo more than 50 years ago. Her agency currently places local models in films, magazines and runways all over the United States and around the world. Now 80, she shares with host Jason Boyett the details of how her …

A conversation with Andrew Hay, Executive Director of the Cultural Foundation of the Texas Panhandle, which provides oversight for Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum and the Texas Panhandle Heritage Foundation. Before taking the reigns of the CFTP and PPHM, Hay served as executive director of the Amarillo Symphony and has a background in theology a…

A conversation with Katharyn Wiegand, the President and CEO at the Mary E. Bivins Foundation. A product of the Texas Panhandle, Wiegand has spent the past few decades in leadership roles in the nonprofit world, including 15 years with Opportunity Plan and another 12 years with the Amarillo Area Foundation. At the Bivins Foundation since 2018, she h…

A conversation with State Representative Walter Thomas "Four" Price IV, who has decided not to run again after he completes his 7th term representing Texas House District 87, which includes Potter County. Price is from Amarillo and has been instrumental in creating significant legislation related to telemedicine, telehealth, mental health and more.…

A conversation with Dr. Alan Keister, an internal medicine specialist and partner at Amarillo Medical Specialists. An Amarillo native, he had the opportunity to take over a large practice in Tennessee after completing his residency, but chose to return to his hometown. In addition to his work as a physician, Keister is also the founder of Heal the …

A conversation with Becky Murphy, a social worker with Amarillo ISD who assists families in transition and students who qualify as homeless. Before finishing her education and receiving a Master of Social Work degree, Murphy spent 16 years employed at Dillard's. In this episode, she tells host Jason Boyett about how she grew up in poverty, endured …

A conversation with John Harris, the Chief Meteorologist for KAMR Local 4 News and Fox 14 News. John is an Amarillo native who almost went into a business and marketing career, and then after being captured by meteorology, figured he'd land at the National Weather Service. But he soon found himself on TV—first at KFDA Newschannel 10 and now at KAMR…

A conversation with Matthew Rosas, the fashion designer behind the brand Momentum of Roses and the collaborative fashion show "Beauty from Afar" on December 2. A former basketball coach and teacher at Holy Cross Catholic Academy, Rosas has shifted to upcycling thrifted clothing and fabrics to create his unique streetwear style. He shares with host …

A conversation with Stephanie Goins, the annual giving officer for the Amarillo Area Foundation and the city's recently named Black Woman of the Year. Goins, who grew up in Midland and spent time in the Metroplex before moving to Amarillo, shares with host Jason Boyett about how she discovered her niche in the nonprofit world, and why the generosit…

A conversation with Jeff Renteria, the community organizer behind the annual Barrio Bash back-to-school event and the 2023 recent recipient of the "Heart of the Barrio" award at Amarillo's Hispanic Heritage luncheon. Renteria comes from a family that originally arrived in Amarillo as railroad workers, and tells host Jason Boyett about his upbringin…

A conversation with Amy Hart, which is the on-air name of Amarillo radio personality Amy Presley. A local radio mainstay, Hart is Amarillo College's Audio Media Coordinator and the Music Director for FM90 KACV-FM, the long-running radio station at AC. She's also the co-producer of a new Texas Panhandle-focused true crime podcast series about the mi…

A conversation with Karen Roberts, the owner/operator of Get Fit, Amarillo's only specialty running store. A former teacher and coach, Roberts found her way into entrepreneurship after moving back to Amarillo from the Metroplex area—and after discovering her passion for distance running as an adult. Roberts is not just a 5K enthusiast or marathoner…

A conversation with Dr. Eddy Sauer, a long-time Amarillo dentist at Shemen Dental and a member of the Amarillo City Council (Place 3) from 2017 to 2023. Sauer grew up in Amarillo and established his practice in the late 1980s, and says his time on the City Council completely changed how he views the city. He shares with host Jason Boyett about a de…

A conversation with Dora Maroney, the owner of Texas Ivy Antiques on Historic Sixth Street in Amarillo. She's also a member of the nonprofit Historic Sixth on Route 66 Association. Born and raised in Amarillo, Dora left the area for several years as a young adult before returning in the late 1990s. She's been a fixture on Sixth ever since because o…

A conversation with Rev. Margie McNeir, an 83-year-old minister in the United Methodist Church, the nation's second-largest Protestant denomination. McNeir moved to Amarillo after retiring from a ministry career in the Metroplex. Over the past few years, she's had a front-row seat to theological disputes within the UMC denomination related to homos…

A conversation with Tac Buchanan, the Amarillo/Lubbock Regional Coordinator for the ministry Bridges to Life. (Trigger warning: This episode contains descriptions of sexual violence.) Buchanan grew up in Amarillo and has lived a life scarred by personal tragedy, including a deadly car accident when he was in high school, a lengthy struggle with add…

A conversation with Melanie Corpstein, an Amarillo native and the founder and president of the Adorable Originals clothing company and Adorable Girls dolls. Based in Arizona over the past three decades, Corpstein designed children's clothing and dolls, selling them wholesale to stores around the world. She retired right before the pandemic and retu…

A conversation with Jentry Williams, the owner and founder of Re-Form Physical Therapy Clinic and Wellness Center. Williams is a native of Spearman, and started her clinic in Amarillo after graduating from Texas Tech. Initially she only intended Re-Form to offer physical therapy and Pilates classes, with Williams as the sole employee. Today she has…

A conversation with Brady Ragland, Chief Executive Officer of the Amarillo Tri-State Exposition, Fair & Rodeo. A Lubbock native, Ragland grew up showing livestock in the 4-H program before getting into amateur stock and cattle judging at Texas Tech. The connections he made in those worlds led to ag-related work in San Antonio and Alabama before he …

A conversation with Nate Green, who owns and operates Starlight Canyon Bed & Breakfast with his wife, Liz. This historic property, located south of Amarillo in the Village of Palisades, is a wedding venue and boutique hotel, and Nate and Liz both have hospitality backgrounds. Before coming to this area, he worked in restaurants at a ski resort in C…

A conversation with George Jackson, who has just begun his second year as music director of the Amarillo Symphony, guiding the organization during its 100th anniversary season. He's a resident of London, but travels all over Europe to work with symphony orchestras from Paris to Zurich, which has helped shape his perspective on the international rep…

A conversation with Chad Conner, the executive director of Acts Community. For the past few years, Chad has managed this growing Christian organization, which includes a resource center in San Jacinto and a new downtown community center. Prior to that, this Amarillo native lived in Las Vegas, where he played poker professionally. And during the pan…

A conversation with Dr. Carolina Perez, a surgical podiatrist with the Amarillo Veterans Healthcare System. Dr. Perez is a veteran of the United States Air Force, and served for several years as a combat medic—including during wartime operations in Iraq—before attending medical school and completing her residency. A native of Colombia, she immigrat…

A conversation with Patrick Swindell, one of those guests whose identity isn't easily contained within a single career description. He's a longtime local bankruptcy attorney. He's a prominent jazz musician and the leader of the Esquire Jazz Band. He launched and owned the Esquire Jazz Club on Polk Street before closing it pre-pandemic. He was one o…

Dr. Shane Harper is the surgical ICU director for Northwest Texas Healthcare System and a professor in the Surgery Department at Texas Tech Physicians. He’s also the founding editor-in-chief of the West Texas Journal of Medicine, a new publication that distributes original medical and health sciences research. In this episode, Harper shares with ho…

A conversation with Alyssa Heck Lewis, owner of Hudson House, a senior living community in Canyon and the recent recipient of the Woman-Owned Business of the Year for the West Texas region of the national U.S. Small Business Administration Awards. Lewis bought Hudson House in 2020, during the pandemic, after stints in banking and healthcare adminis…

A conversation with Norbert Chirase, PhD, a former scientist and nutritionist with WTAMU and the founder of GTX Organics and GTX Technologies. Based in Amarillo, Chirase is an expert on humic and fulvic acids and holds multiple patents on applications for human health, agriculture and animal nutrition. GTX manufactures multiple products here in Ama…

A conversation with Lindsey Lane, one of Amarillo's most in-demand country singers and all-around performers. Originally from Lubbock, Lindsey arrived in this area to pursue an education degree from WTAMU, then taught 3rd-grade math for several years before pursuing music full-time. She shares with host Jason Boyett how she grew up learning the cra…

A conversation with Sherman Bass, the new film commissioner with the Amarillo Film Office and the former general manager of the Amarillo Civic Center. An Amarillo native with a background in acting, Bass worked for the Civic Center across two different stints before a brief retirement last year. In that previous job, he oversaw every detail of the …

A conversation with Kathy Lopez, the entrepreneur and owner of Little Bee's Playhouse, a child-focused play and party venue in Wolflin Square. Lopez was a WT grad who went on to work in the corporate event world of the Metroplex, traveling internationally as a specialist in hospitality, marketing and event management. Then she returned to Amarillo.…

A conversation with Matt Morgan, the interim director of Outdoor Amarillo and a longtime local volunteer, board member and nonprofit advocate. Morgan walks host Jason Boyett through his diverse career, which includes everything from marketing to human resources, personnel, grant management and more— including his current work with the International…

A conversation with Andrew Brandt, a local novelist and one of the owners of Phone Medic, a smartphone and computer repair business with locations in Amarillo, Canyon and Lubbock. With host Jason Boyett, Brandt shares about these two divergent career paths. In one, he grew a computer repair hobby into a multi-location business—including a new Phone…

A conversation with Amelia Balderrama, the President and CEO of iDocket, a software company specializing in products for local governments, including statewide case management software used by cities and counties within the Texas judicial system—and potentially beyond. She shares with host Jason Boyett the company's origin story in Amarillo and how…

A conversation with Mark Zimmerman, the former Missions and Campus Development Pastor at Hillside Christian Church and the new Executive Director of Transformation Park. A unique public-private partnership designed to address homelessness in Amarillo, Transformation Park serves as a collaboration between the City of Amarillo, local churches and bus…

In this special live show recording, host Jason Boyett takes a seat on the other side of the host microphone as he is interviewed by former Amarillo mayor Ginger Nelson at Arts in the Sunset. (Don't miss last week's episode for Jason's in-depth interview of the mayor.) In front of an audience, Nelson asks Jason about entrepreneurship, how he would …

A conversation with outgoing Amarillo mayor Ginger Nelson, recorded in front of a live audience at Arts in the Sunset. To celebrate the 300th episode of this podcast, Jason Boyett hosted a live show on May 5, 2023, interviewing Nelson—who'd served as the guest for the very first episode of Hey Amarillo in September 2017. In this episode, Nelson ref…