The Straight-Up 30

In this episode of the Straight-Up 30, host Ross Izard sits down with Brittany Vessely , Executive Director of the Colorado Catholic Conference, to discuss the intersection of faith, public policy, and civic engagement in Colorado. The conversation explores how the Catholic Conference represents the state’s bishops in policy debates, how Catholic social teaching shapes its work, and why faith-base...

In this episode of the Straight-Up 30, host Ross Izard sits down with Weston Kurz , Executive Director of the Colorado Association of Private Schools (CAPS), to discuss how private schools operate, why they need representation in policy conversations, and the challenges facing independent schools in Colorado. Ross and Weston explore the role of private schools, the work of CAPS, and how policies a...

In this episode of the Straight-Up 30, host Ross Izard sits down with longtime Colorado political strategist Dick Wadhams to discuss how Colorado shifted from a competitive purple state to a solidly blue one and what that means heading into the 2026 election cycle. The conversation explores the rise of unaffiliated voters, growing frustration with both political parties, and the internal battles s...

In this episode of the Straight-Up 30 , host Ross Izard sits down with Deborah Flora to unpack one of the least understood parts of Colorado politics: the caucus and assembly system. From precinct captains and state assemblies to petitions and primaries, the conversation breaks down how candidates actually make it onto the ballot and why many voters feel disconnected from the process. They also ex...

Water is one of the most critical and complex policy issues in Colorado, yet most people rarely think about how it actually works. In this episode, Ross Izard sits down with Casey Davenhill of the Colorado Watershed Assembly to break down the systems, history, and policies that govern how water is managed across the state. From the Dust Bowl to today’s drought concerns, the conversation explores h...

Housing is one of the most talked-about issues in Colorado, but the reality on the ground is far more complex than most people realize. In this episode, Ross Izard sits down with Tony Lewis of the Donnell Kay Foundation to unpack what’s actually driving the affordable housing crisis, especially in rural communities. The conversation goes beyond headlines and legislation to explore the real bottlen...

In this episode of the Straight-Up 30, host Ross Izard sits down with Cortney Crouch and Rob Moulton of the Education Alliance of Colorado to explore how schools and parents can come together to influence education policy. What started as a small group of charter school leaders looking for better representation has grown into a statewide alliance supporting tens of thousands of students. The conve...

New data centers are rapidly expanding across the country, driven by the growth of AI and digital infrastructure. But behind that growth are real questions about energy use, water consumption, cost to consumers, and community impact. In this episode, Ross Izard sits down with Senator Cathy Kipp to break down one of the most complex policy debates of the Colorado legislative session. Two competing...

Most of us assume government funding is tracked, understood, and easy to follow. But when it comes to federal dollars flowing into states, especially through grants, the reality is far more complicated. In this episode, Ross Izard sits down with Steven Johnson of the Center for Practical Federalism to unpack how federal money moves, why transparency is so limited, and what it means for taxpayers,...

In this episode of the Straight-Up 30, host Ross Izard sits down with Roweena Naidoo , Vice President of Policy and Community Initiatives at Mile High United Way, to unpack the complex intersection of foster care, education, housing, and policy. The conversation goes beyond legislation to focus on what actually happens after a bill passes—and why implementation is often the hardest and most import...

In this episode of the Straight-Up 30 , host Ross Izard talks with Erik Billinger , Chief Development Officer at ACE Scholarships, about how private school scholarship programs work and why the new federal Education Freedom Tax Credit could be a major shift for families across the country. They break down ACE’s role as a scholarship-granting organization, the difference between traditional fundrai...

In this episode of the Straight-Up 30 , host Ross Izard talks with Garrett Royer , Political Director at Sierra Club Colorado, about what environmental policy looks like on the ground right now—at the Capitol and at the ballot box. They dig into two fast-moving issues shaping Colorado’s energy future: the rapid buildout of AI-driven data centers and the renewed fight over coal plant retirements. G...

In this episode of the Straight-Up 30 , host Ross Izard sits down with Papa M. Dia , Founder and President of the African Leadership Group (ALG), to talk about the immigrant experience beyond the headlines. Papa shares his journey from Senegal to the United States, what it meant to start over at 28 years old, and how that experience led him to build ALG. The conversation explores how community-bas...

In this episode of the Straight-Up 30, host Ross Izard talks with Sami Davis , Vice President of State Affairs at Sewald Hanfling, about what lobbying actually is and what lobbyists really do day to day during the legislative session. They break down the role lobbyists play in turning policy ideas into statutory change, how the work happens inside and outside the Capitol, and why lobbying in Color...

In this episode of the  Straight-Up 30 , host Ross Izard talks with Derek Okubo , former Executive Director of Denver’s Agency for Human Rights and Community Partnerships, about why community engagement is essential to effective local government. Derek shares how Denver’s approach to human rights and community partnership has deep historical roots, what it looked like to lead the agency under Mayo...

In the first episode of the Straight-Up 30, host Ross Izard introduces the podcast and its purpose: helping people make sense of the most pressing policy issues so they can be better informed and more engaged. This episode sets the tone for the show and explains why engagement matters and why policy is not something to tune out. What we cover: • Why the Straight-Up 30 exists • How policy affects p...

In this episode of the Straight-Up 30, host Ross Izard sits down with Jake Fogelman , Policy Director at the Independence Institute, to break down what “policy” actually is and how it differs from politics. They explain how public policy shows up in daily life, where laws and regulations live, and what policy professionals really do between elections. The conversation also offers a concrete exampl...