Changing Austin

For those experiencing homelessness in Austin, support can come from a variety of nonprofits and community programs. One such organization is Mobile Loaves & Fishes, the nonprofit founded by Alan Graham that has earned national recognition for Community First! Village, a master-planned community providing affordable, permanent housing for people coming out of chronic homelessness. In this epis...

Dr. Kristi Kirk believes higher education should be accessible to everyone. As a first-generation college graduate, she has dedicated her career to helping students succeed, a mission that led her to become President and CEO of Concordia University Texas. In this episode of the Changing Austin podcast, powered by Amplify Credit Union, Dr. Kirk discusses how Concordia University Texas has evolved t...

For Tamara Atkinson, every successful career starts with purpose. Her philosophy of "connecting for purpose" has guided more than three decades of work in workforce development across Central Texas. From helping individuals identify career pathways to creating opportunities for economic mobility, Atkinson has dedicated her career to connecting people with the tools they need to succeed. In this ep...

What does it look like when an Austin restaurant prioritizes employee well-being just as much as profit? For L’Oca d’Oro, it looks like becoming one of Austin’s most respected restaurants and a leading voice for change in the local hospitality industry. In this episode of the Changing Austin podcast, powered by Amplify Credit Union, L’Oca d’Oro cofounder Adam Orman shares how the award-winning Aus...

How do you find common ground in Texas politics and business when collaboration feels impossible? Denise Davis has spent more than 20 years doing exactly that. As Board Chair of the Austin Chamber of Commerce, former Chief of Staff for the Texas House of Representatives and partner at Davis Kaufman PLLC, Davis has built a reputation for helping business leaders, policymakers and entrepreneurs move...

Few people have shaped Austin’s rise quite like Hugh Forrest. As the first paid employee of South by Southwest, Forrest joined in 1989 when Austin was still a college town and SXSW was a scrappy music festival fueled by creativity, risk-taking and a handful of local venues. Over the next three decades, he helped transform SXSW into a global powerhouse spanning music, film, technology and culture,...

What would it take for Austin to become the best city in America for kids? That question is driving Generation ATX, an initiative launched by Austin Mayor Kirk Watson and the City of Austin in 2025. The goal is simple but ambitious: unite the community around improving outcomes for more than 176,000 students across Central Texas. In this episode of the Changing Austin podcast, powered by Amplify C...

For some professionals, success means mastering one industry over decades. But author and entrepreneur Janice Omadeke takes a different approach. She describes herself as a “hummingbird,” moving across industries and ideas to drive innovation, scale leadership systems, and build more effective organizations. In this episode of the Changing Austin podcast, powered by Amplify Credit Union, Chief Exp...

Joel Kocher couldn’t tell you why he’s been so successful at identifying the game-changing potential of companies. He just knows the moment when he sees it. But that doesn’t mean Kocher can’t connect some of the dots that brought him to his current role as the co-founder and CEO of Humann, a nutrition company focused on cardiovascular health. In this episode of the Changing Austin podcast powered...

What do Texas Mutual Insurance Company and Austin FC have in common? Both organizations begin and end with the strength of their communities. That is the perspective offered by Jeremiah Bentley, vice president of marketing and community affairs at Texas Mutual Insurance Company and co-host of the Moontower Soccer podcast focused on Austin FC. In this episode of the Changing Austin podcast by Ampli...

How does the movie theater experience stay relevant in the age of streaming? That’s the question Sarah Pitre, Head Film Buyer at Alamo Drafthouse, tackles every week as she balances studio releases, repertory programming and evolving audience preferences. Her work helps keep Alamo Drafthouse a top destination for both arthouse films and big-budget movies nationwide. In this episode of the Changing...

As Austin transforms into one of the fastest-growing cultural hubs in the country, local media outlets are being forced to adapt or fall behind. Few understand that better than Madeline Hollern, Editor in Chief of Austin Monthly. From expanding local restaurant coverage to partnering with global celebrities, Hollern and her team are redefining how Austin stories are told and how the city shows up...

What does it mean to take the reins of the oldest theater company in Texas? For Jamie Herlich, becoming the managing director of ZACH Theater in Austin meant delivering on ZACH’s mission to produce homegrown theater in the heart of the city. It also meant opening doors to a new generation of theatergoers and showing the Central Texas community why the performing arts matter more than ever. In this...

Matthew Cisneros spends his days thinking about two things: media and migas. As co-owner of Cisco’s Restaurant and Bakery, one of Austin’s most iconic Tex-Mex restaurants, and founder of Backyard Ventures, a growing media and influencer marketing agency, Cisneros bridges the worlds of legacy brands and digital startups. In this episode of the Changing Austin Podcast by Amplify Credit Union, Chief...

When Chris Seals first read his father Cleveland’s post-retirement dream to launch a whiskey distillery in Austin—the city’s first since Prohibition—he was skeptical. But what started as a risky idea turned into a globally recognized whiskey brand that’s deeply rooted in Austin's creative spirit. In this episode of the Changing Austin podcast by Amplify Credit Union, Chief Experience Officer Stacy...

Since joining the Quorum Report in 1989 as a contract writer, Harvey Kronberg has become a trusted voice in Texas politics. In this episode of the Changing Austin podcast, Stacy Armijo sits down with Kronberg for a candid conversation about how Austin has evolved over the past four decades. From its laid-back “slacker” reputation in the 1970s to its transformation into a booming tech and policy hu...

In 2005, John and Jennifer Garrett launched the very first issue of Community Impact Newspaper from their garage. What started as a hyperlocal experiment has grown into the largest local news organization in Texas, serving millions of readers with neighborhood-focused journalism. On this episode of the Changing Austin Podcast, host Amplify Credit Union sits down with CEO and founder John Garrett t...

It isn't often you get to be part of something that will better your entire city for generations to come, but that's exactly what Dr. Colette Pierce Burnette has done as chief executive officer of Waterloo Greenway Conservancy. In this episode of Changing Austin, Dr. Burnette explains why she came out of retirement to lead this effort, describing the Greenway as a project that gives the Austin com...

When your creative agency develops the branding for Austin's first Major League Soccer team, Austin FC, your place in Austin marketing history is secured. In this episode of Changing Austin, Adam Butler, co-founder of Butlers, discusses how Austin's entrepreneurial spirit and creative culture fueled the city's growth and helped his company find its voice. Follow Adam Butler on LinkedIn: https://ww...

As Austin continues its rapid growth, it's important to ensure our food workers are not left behind. In this episode of Changing Austin, Kara Hanaoka, Executive Director of Good Work Austin, shares how local businesses and nonprofits are working together to foster healthy careers in the service industry. Follow Kara Hanaoka on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kara-prior-hanaoka-ma-67749232/ F...

Austin is growing fast—but growth alone isn’t success. In this episode of Changing Austin, Davon Barbour, president and CEO of the Downtown Austin Alliance, shares how the city can expand without displacing the people and businesses that give it heart. Follow Davon Barbour on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davonbarbour Follow Stacy Armijo on Instagram and LinkedIn: https://www.instagram.com...

In the second episode of the Changing Austin podcast, the Honorable Denise Hernández (County Court at Law No. 6) joins host Stacy Armijo to discuss the importance of creating inclusive spaces in your place of work: whether that is a courtroom or a credit union. Follow Judge Hernández on Instagram and LinkedIn: https://www.instagram.com/denisecreateschange/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/denisedhernan...

In the first episode of the Changing Austin podcast, host Stacy Armijo is joined by Kerbey Lane All Day Cafe CEO Mason Ayer. The two talk about Kerbey Lane's legacy as an Austin original, the road to organizational transparency, and what it takes to go from late-night hotspot to a family-friendly restaurant. Follow Mason Ayer on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mason-ayer-9b0b96146/ Follow St...

Meet Stacy Armijo, Chief Experience Officer at Amplify Credit Union and host of the new Changing Austin podcast. In this short introduction, Armijo share the goal of the series: to build a platform for leaders from Austin's nonprofit and business sectors to share their perspectives on our changing city. Follow Stacy Armijo on Instagram and LinkedIn: https://www.instagram.com/stacy.armijo/ https://...