The Ashley B. Cash Show

Texas used to be one of the best states in the country at math. Today, only 44% of our third graders are on grade level in math, and we've had one of the biggest declines on the Nation's Report Card of any state. So what happened? This week I'm joined again by Mary Lynn Pruneda, Director of Education and Workforce Policy at Texas 2036 and one of the leading experts on assessment, ac...

In this episode of The Ashley B. Cash Show, Ashley sits down with Dr. Sarah Wakefield, Chair of the Department of Psychiatry at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, for an in-depth conversation on children's mental health. Dr. Wakefield unpacks what it really means to be a pediatric psychiatrist, the role screens and isolation play in rising rates of anxiety and depression among kids...

In this episode of The Ashley B. Cash Show, Ashley sits down with Adam Mangana, EdD, Founder and CEO of OptimaEd, to explore how virtual reality is reshaping what a classroom can be. Adam launched Optima Classical School, the world's first VR charter school, and he and Ashley dig into how immersive, concept-based learning lets students swim alongside whales in biology class or sit down with h...

In this episode, Ashley sits down with Erika Donalds — educational entrepreneur, founder and chairman of the Education Freedom Foundation, chair of Education Opportunity at the America First Policy Institute, and founder/CEO of Optima Ed, the world's first virtual reality school platform. After 20 years in financial services, Erika pivoted to education when her own son struggled in a traditio...

In this episode of The Ashley B. Cash Show, Ashley sits down with Preston Parsons — a 20-year-old senior at Texas Tech University who's already built the kind of resume most people spend a career working toward. Preston is the president and founder of Turning Point USA at Texas Tech, now one of the largest collegiate chapters in the country, and a national speaker on TPUSA's Pick Up The...

In this episode of The Ashley B. Cash Show , Ashley sits down with Jack Collier , founder and president of Optimize Health & Performance, to discuss the growing Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement, hormone optimization, preventative healthcare, and why taking control of your health starts with better information. Together, they explore why so many Americans are living with undiagnosed h...

In this episode of The Ashley B. Cash Show , Ashley sits down with Dr. Keegan Stewart , Chief of Staff to President Scott McDowell at Lubbock Christian University, to explore the leadership skills that shape successful students, employees, and organizations. Drawing from his doctoral research on employee onboarding, Dr. Stewart shares how creating a culture of belonging, intentional mentorship, an...

What does it take to truly transform education? In this episode of The Ashley B. Cash Show , Ashley sits down with Pam Little , Texas State Board of Education Member for District 12, for an in-depth conversation about the future of K–12 education and the policies shaping classrooms across Texas. Together, they unpack the recent State Board of Education meetings and discuss the Texas Essential Know...

In this episode of The Ashley B. Cash Show , Ashley sits down with Jose Melendez , director of the Taxpayer Protection Project and Government Reform & Oversight Coalition at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, for a timely conversation about where taxpayer dollars are really going—and why every Texan should be paying attention. Together, they unpack the growing concerns surrounding property ta...

In this episode of The Ashley B. Cash Show , Ashley sits down with Margo Jordan, founder and CEO of Enrichly, to discuss one of the most critical issues facing children today: mental health. Margo shares her journey from working in finance to creating a digital health platform focused on building self-esteem, confidence, and emotional well-being in children and teens. Together, Ashley and Margo ex...

In this episode of The Ashley B. Cash Show , Ashley sits down with John Foster , founder and president of Middle School MBA , to discuss why teaching students real-world business and economic principles is essential for their future success. From understanding supply and demand to entrepreneurship, inflation, and free markets, John explains how his innovative, hands-on curriculum equips students w...

In this episode of The Ashley B. Cash Show, Ashley sits down with Kate Bierly, Campaign Director for Next Generation Texas at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, for a wide-ranging conversation on the future of education in Texas. Ashley and Kate dig into growing concerns over foreign influence in Texas universities — from research contracts and foreign exchange programs to curriculum development...

What if the labels people placed on you were never meant to define you? In this episode of The Ashley B. Cash Show, I sit down with Tamika Williams, Founder and Executive Director of Beautiful As I Am, Inc., to talk about what it looks like to overcome adversity, embrace your purpose, and pour into the next generation. Tamika's story is one of resilience. Once labeled a troubled child, she re...

In this episode of The Ashley B. Cash Show, Ashley sits down with Tony and Ariana Guajardo for a thoughtful conversation on education, parenting, family life, and the values that help children thrive. Together, they explore the importance of strong family foundations, parental involvement, and the role families play in shaping future generations. Drawing from both personal and professional experie...

 This week, host Ashley sits down with two powerhouse women from Texas Tech University who are shaping the future of education in West Texas. Dr. Kallie Covington, Director of Development for the College of Education at Texas Tech, spends her days connecting generous donors with causes that transform students' lives — and outside of work, she's a wife and mom living life on a working ran...

What does it take to lead one of Texas's fastest-growing school districts with excellence, accountability, and heart? In this episode of the Ashley B. Cash Show, Ashley sits down with Dr. David Vinson, Superintendent of Conroe ISD, for a powerful conversation about what it truly means to build a culture of high expectations in education. Dr. Vinson brings a wealth of experience to the table —...

She's worked in finance, served the CIA, represented the United States abroad, and now she's fighting for the most vulnerable in her own backyard. In this episode of the Ashley B. Cash Show, Ashley sits down with Lindsay Dawson for a conversation that covers it all. Lindsay's journey is anything but ordinary. She launched her career in finance with ConocoPhillips, was recruited by t...

In this episode, Ashley sits down with Dr. Ben Alexander, CEO of Workforce Solutions South Plains in Lubbock, Texas. With nearly two decades of experience in higher education and workforce development — including his tenure as Executive Director of Workforce Development at South Plains College — Dr. Alexander has built his career on creating real pathways to opportunity for everyday people. He hol...

What does it really take to change the way young people think about money — and can that change start before they ever open a bank account? In this episode of the Ashley B. Cash Show, host Ashley sits down with Catherine Komen, Director of Red to Black at Texas Tech University — a financial literacy program that meets students where they are and helps them make a plan to get where they want to go,...

On this episode of The Ashley B. Cash Show , we're bringing the ranch to the classroom — and everywhere else. Tucker Brown is a sixth-generation rancher and steward of the R.A. Brown Ranch in Throckmorton, Texas — a family operation dating all the way back to 1895 — and he's proof that some of the most valuable real-world skills aren't taught in a textbook. From raising elite cattle...

What does it truly mean to know the Texas story — and who is responsible for making sure it gets told? In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Donald S. Frazier, Director of The Texas Center at Schreiner University, six-time author, historian, filmmaker, and the man Governor Greg Abbott appointed to lead the Texas 1836 Project. Dr. Frazier shares his journey from the college classroom to the forefro...

Texas is the economic powerhouse of the nation — and what happens here shapes the rest of the country, especially in education. In this episode of The Ashley B. Cash Show, we're pulling back the curtain on the battle being waged over your child's curriculum, and we brought in someone who has been fighting on the front lines for over a decade. Julie Pickren served as an Alvin ISD Trustee...

In this episode, I sit down with Ag Women Connect founder and CEO Venessa Wood for a wide-ranging conversation that hits close to home for anyone with roots in agriculture. We dig into the real issues facing the ag industry today, the mental health crisis impacting farmers and veterans alike, and what steps the Trump administration is taking toward solutions. We also break down the 2026 runoff ele...

What does it actually take to move the needle on education in a state as large and complex as Texas? In this episode, we sit down with Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath — a product of Texas public schools who's been leading the Texas Education Agency since 2016 — for a candid conversation about what reforms are happening in education right now. We break down everything that happened at...

Mary Lynn Pruneda has been at the center of Texas education policy for years — and this conversation proves it. As Governor Abbott's Education Policy Advisor, Mary Lynn was the lead advisor on House Bill 3, one of the most sweeping school finance overhauls in Texas history. She served as General Counsel for the Senate Education Committee under Chairman Larry Taylor, and today she's the D...