Hey Amarillo

In this episode, we sit down with Josh Craft, a local firefighter and former Amarillo City Council member. Josh shares what it's like balancing a life of public service—previously in local government, and still on the frontlines as a firefighter. He opens up about leadership  and how serving Amarillo in two very different roles has shaped his perspective on what community really means.

This week's guest is Ryan Hazelwood — a friend, mentor, and longtime leader in local TV broadcasting. Ryan's career has taken him from the classroom to the newsroom, including years as a news director and instructor in the West Texas A&M University Department of Communication, where we first met. In this conversation, Ryan reflects on the relationships that have shaped his life, the evolving world...

This week's guest is Sonya Letson , a lifelong advocate for justice and democracy. From serving three terms as Potter County Attorney to her work as a municipal court judge, assistant district attorney, and in leadership with the League of Women Voters, Sonya's career reflects a deep commitment to fairness, civic health, and the preservation of democratic systems. In our conversation, Sonya shares...

David Elizalde: Andrea's Project and Choosing to "Give a Lot" When David Elizalde's daughter, Andrea, was killed in a drunk driving accident, his life was forever changed. Out of that tragedy, David created Andrea's Project, a nonprofit dedicated to raising awareness of the dangers of drinking and driving and advocating for stronger legislation to prevent it. But David's story is not just about lo...

Michael Kashuba: Parks, People, and Public Spaces Michael Kashuba grew up in Canada, but today he's the Director of Parks and Recreation for the City of Amarillo. In this episode, Michael shares his journey to Amarillo, what it's like to oversee the city's parks system, and how he thinks about outdoor spaces as part of community life. Funny, thoughtful, and deeply invested in Amarillo, Michael bri...

Leila Daraei grew up in Iran, moved to Amarillo in her 30s, and started her U.S. life working as a janitor at Amarillo College. Today, she's a professor on the same campus. In this episode, Leila shares her remarkable story — from navigating cultural transitions to the mentors and instructors who believed in her along the way. It's a conversation about resilience, opportunity, and the power of com...

This week, Skylar sits down with Kyle Groves, a second-generation magician who grew up traveling the country with his parents' magic show. Kyle shares what it's really like to live life behind the curtain, from the craft and discipline it takes to become a magician, to the wonder that keeps audiences spellbound. Now preparing to open a one-of-a-kind magic venue in Amarillo, Kyle reflects on his jo...

In this episode, I sit down with Sarena Carpenter, the new executive director of Amarillo Angels , a nonprofit dedicated to walking alongside families and children experiencing foster care. Sarena's warmth and sense of calling shine through as she shares both the mission of Amarillo Angels and her deeply personal story. At just 14 years old, Sarena became the primary caregiver for her four-year-ol...

This week Skylar sits down with her good friend Matt Le — entrepreneur, hustler, motivational speaker, and all-around community builder. Matt's story is rooted in a unique cultural blend—his father immigrated from Vietnam, his mother is Hispanic—and that mix inspired his food truck, Saigon Señorita . We talk about how food has the power to bring people together and share culture in the most beauti...

This week, Skylar sits down with Matt Garrison — an Amarillo native, seasoned police officer, and global security expert. From serving small-town Panhandle police forces to traveling the world providing personal protection for high-profile clients, Matt's career reads like something out of Jack Ryan . Beneath the gruff exterior is someone deeply thoughtful and committed to keeping others safe — wh...

This week, Skylar sits down with Heather Manderson—an accomplished actor with a career full of unique and meaningful experiences. Heather is currently involved in a powerful stage production, The Blind , which centers on the 1997 death of Brian Deneke, a member of Amarillo's punk community. His tragic killing shook the city and exposed deep cultural divides. In this conversation, Heather reflects...

In this episode, Skylar sits down with Billy, a resident of Transformation Park—Amarillo's innovative housing initiative for individuals experiencing homelessness. Coming from San Angelo, Billy arrived in Amarillo with nothing but the clothes on his back, leaving behind an unsafe situation. He shares his journey of resilience: from sleeping in shelters and navigating public transportation to secur...

In this episode, Will Masters joins me for a powerful conversation about the natural resources that shape our region—especially water. With a legal background and current work at Ogallala Life and Wildcat Bluff Nature Center, Will brings a deep and thoughtful perspective to the complex challenges we face. We talk conservation, community engagement, and the creative, grounded solutions that could h...

This week, Skylar sits down with Samuel Uwimana, a Congolese refugee who resettled in Amarillo in 2018. Drawing from his own story and those of fellow African refugees, Samuel founded United Refugee Services to support and uplift the community. Together, they talk about the challenges and triumphs of resettlement, the realities versus perceptions of "coming to America," and so much more.

This week, Skylar visits with Amanda Mathias. After working across the state in mental health provider capacities, she was given the opportunity to build programs and systems statewide, which she did successfully, before bringing that expertise back home to get to work on quality and accessible access to mental health services in the Texas Panhandle. Outside of her role as Executive Director of Me...

In this episode, Skylar visits with Doug Loomis, former superintendent of Amarillo ISD, just as Loomis enters retirement from a 39-year career, not only in education - but all 39 of those years were in Amarillo ISD. They discuss what is best about the district and the challenges it faces but they also dive into what our schools need to succeed, and what it's like to be the person making some reall...

In this episode, Skylar visits with Sharon Miner. Sharon is the Executive Director of Martha's Home, a women and children's shelter in Amarillo. Sharon has also held some really interesting previous titles and roles, and brings all of that experience, those stories, and her relentless tenacity and pragmatism to her work and to this episode. 

In this episode, Jason is back to announce Skylar Gallop will pick up the podcast and continue telling the stories of our neighbors and community. Hear her background, approach to this new-to-her project, and what you can expect as a listener moving forward. 

From host Jason Boyett: After seven amazing years and more than 400 conversations, I've decided to bring my time on Hey Amarillo to a close. As a writer, I believe in the value of a well-timed ending. Some stories deserve to go out on a high note—before the fire fades and while the gratitude is still fresh. So this is my attempt to end the show with purpose and intention. To do so, I'm joined by m...

A conversation with Holly Ridings, an Amarillo native and the Director of the Exploration Operations Office at NASA . Prior to that relatively new position, her career includes becoming the first woman to serve as NASA's Chief Flight Director in 2018. In this episode, Ridings shares with host Jason Boyett about her path from Tascosa High School to Mission Control. From leading teams supporting the...

A conversation with Marcus Snead, the executive chef at The Barfield and the three-time winner of the "Top Chef Amarillo" competition at Restaurant Roundup. Snead grew up in Canyon before leaving the area for a culinary education, which took him from New York City to the East Coast to Santa Fe to a Michelin-rated restaurant in Chicago. After returning to the Panhandle, he helped launch and operate...

A conversation with Lauren Hough , the  New York Times bestselling author and essayist. Her critically acclaimed 2021 book,  Leaving Isn't the Hardest Thing , details her upbringing in a doomsday cult, her eventual Air Force stint and other careers, and includes several mentions of the years she spent in Amarillo as a child and then a teenager. Hough shares with host Jason Boyett about the role Am...

A conversation with Sheila Sims , a long-time local architect and the president of Sims + Architects . Her firm has designed many prominent local buildings, from the new Amarillo City Hall to the FirstBank Southwest Center at AC to the Harrington Cancer and Health Foundation building near the Medical Center. After earning a degree from Texas A&M, Sims returned to Amarillo to work for Lavin Archite...

A conversation with Steve Burton, the executive director of Children's Learning Centers of Amarillo, which celebrates its 100th anniversary in April. A Colorado native, Burton arrived in Amarillo after having launched Boys & Girls Clubs in rural towns in both Colorado and Texas. He spent six years leading the Maverick Club before moving to Children's Learning Centers, which provides quality, low-c...

A conversation with Shilee Pearson of RuffLife K9 Training . A former horse trainer who grew up in Nebraska, Pearson pivoted to establish an award-winning dog-training business in Omaha. But two years ago, she moved to Amarillo in pursuit of a relationship. (They ended up getting married.) Pearson shares with host Jason Boyett—who happens to be a client—what it's like to uproot your business and s...