Texas Talks

What’s driving Austin’s economic boom — and can it keep up with its own success? In this episode of Texas Talks , host Brad Swail sits down with Jeremy Martin , President and CEO of the Austin Chamber of Commerce, to break down the forces shaping one of the fastest-growing regional economies in the country. From explosive population growth to major infrastructure projects, Austin continues to punc...

As part of the Future of Texas series in partnership with Texas 2036, this episode tackles one of the most urgent and personal challenges facing Texans today: the rising cost of healthcare. Through the Future of Texas podcast series, Texas 2036 brings together diverse perspectives as we explore the opportunities and challenges facing our state over the next ten years. The views expressed in this p...

What’s really happening in Texas waterways — and why is so much trash ending up there? In this episode of Texas Talks , host Brad Swail sits down with Robby Robinson , Field Operations Manager at the Buffalo Bayou Partnership, and Mike Garver , Chairman of Texans for Clean Water and a founding member of the Buffalo Bayou Partnership, for a firsthand look at the growing challenge of waterway pollut...

As part of the Future of Texas series in partnership with Texas 2036, this episode explores how higher education will shape the state’s workforce, economy, and long-term competitiveness. Through the Future of Texas podcast series, Texas 2036 brings together diverse perspectives as we explore the opportunities and challenges facing our state over the next ten years. The views expressed in this prog...

Most Texans don’t think about environmental health — until something goes wrong. In this episode of Texas Talks , host Brad Swail sits down with Christopher Sparks , President of the Texas Environmental Health Association (TEHA), to explore the critical — but often overlooked — role environmental health professionals play in keeping communities safe every day. From restaurant inspections and water...

As part of the Future of Texas series in partnership with Texas 2036, this episode explores one of the most critical challenges facing the state’s future: building an electric grid that can keep up with rapid growth while remaining reliable and affordable. Through the Future of Texas podcast series, Texas 2036 brings together diverse perspectives as we explore the opportunities and challenges faci...

Why are homes in Texas becoming increasingly unaffordable — and what will it actually take to fix it? In this episode of Texas Talks , host Brad Swail sits down with Sean Dobson , CEO of Amherst Group, to break down the real forces driving today’s housing affordability crisis — and why many popular explanations fall short. Dobson, a veteran of the mortgage and housing markets who correctly anticip...

As part of the Future of Texas series in partnership with Texas 2036 , this episode explores what it really takes to raise a family in Texas today — and what must hold up over the next decade if the state wants to remain a place of opportunity. In this episode of Texas Talks , host Brad Swail is joined by Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker and A.J. Rodriguez , Executive Vice President of Texas 2036, f...

This episode kicks off the Texas Talks Special Series: AI and Public Policy , a multi-part series exploring how artificial intelligence will reshape governance at every level in the years ahead. Artificial intelligence is advancing at an unprecedented pace — but can government keep up? In this episode of Texas Talks , host Brad Swail is joined by Tanner Jones and Chris Minge , cofounders of Vulcan...

As part of the Future of Texas series in partnership with Texas 2036 , this episode explores how Texas courts and the justice system must evolve to serve a rapidly growing state. In this episode of Texas Talks , host Brad Swail is joined by Chief Justice Wallace B. Jefferson , former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Texas, and Luis Soberon , Senior Policy Advisor and In House Counsel at Texas...

In this episode of Texas Talks , host Brad Swail sits down with Marc Levin , Chief Policy Counsel at the Council on Criminal Justice , for a wide-ranging conversation about where criminal justice reform stands in Texas today — and what lawmakers should be focused on next. Levin reflects on his long history in Texas criminal justice policy, from the 2007 reforms that helped the state avoid building...

As part of the Future of Texas series in partnership with Texas 2036 , this episode explores how rapid population growth is reshaping the state — and what it will take to manage that growth successfully over the next decade. In this episode of Texas Talks , host Brad Swail is joined by Henry Cisneros , former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and former mayor of San Antonio, and A.J....

As part of the Future of Texas series in partnership with Texas 2036 , this episode explores a critical question: how does Texas ensure its economic growth translates into real opportunity, mobility, and purpose for its people? In this episode of Texas Talks , host Brad Swail is joined by Roy Spence , co-founder and longtime chairman of GSD&M and founder of the Make It Movement and the Purpose Ins...

Brad Swail welcomes Charles Blain—Houston Chronicle contributor, Manhattan Institute City Journal writer, Fox 26 panelist, author of the forthcoming The Brotherhood of Facts (Johns Hopkins Press, spring 2027), and founder of Local Insights.  Charles shares how an accidental AI-assisted review of Houston Metro contract documents uncovered a $215k-to-$4.2M ballooning deal tied to board chair conflic...

Brad Swail sits down with Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath and Mary Lynn Pruneda (Texas 2036 Director of Education & Workforce Policy) for a forward-looking conversation on the future of Texas public education. They discuss post-COVID recovery (literacy at all-time highs, math still climbing), the game-changing Teacher Incentive Allotment (TIA) shifting to performance-based pay and creatin...

After the 2026 primaries delivered a fresh wave of “new blood” in the Legislature, will property taxes finally get crushed… or will the same old insider games continue? In this hard-hitting episode of Texas Talks , host Brad Swail sits down with Jeramy Kitchen, President of Texas Policy Research and the driving force behind the brand-new Texas Liberty Compact . Jeramy breaks down exactly what the...

Future of Texas is a special limited series from Texas Talks exploring the ideas, leaders, and innovations shaping the state’s next century.  As Texas approaches its bicentennial in 2036, this series brings together some of the state’s most influential thinkers—from entrepreneurs and venture capitalists to policy experts and public leaders—to discuss the opportunities and challenges that will defi...

Is the “Texas Miracle” still alive — and what does it take to keep Texas competitive in 2026 and beyond? In this episode of Texas Talks, Megan Mauro, Interim President and CEO of the Texas Association of Business (TAB), joins Brad Swail to break down the state of the Texas economy. As the state chamber of commerce representing businesses of every size and industry, TAB sits at the center of Texas’...

In this episode, Kelly Hancock , Acting Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, breaks down what the Comptroller’s office actually does—and what the latest numbers say about the Texas economy. Hancock discusses revenue estimating, procurement, contracts, and why sales tax trends matter so much to the state budget. He also explains how Texas is tracking key indicators like manufacturing, construction...

On this episode of Texas Talks , host Brad Swail sits down with Mandy Drogin of the Texas Public Policy Foundation to discuss Texas Education Freedom Accounts, school choice policy, and the evolving future of education in the state. The conversation explores how education savings accounts (ESAs) work, why more than 100,000 families applied within days of launch, and the ongoing debate between supp...

In this episode of Texas Talks, Brad Swail interviews Margaret Byfield, Executive Director of American Stewards of Liberty, to break down the growing controversy surrounding proposed transmission lines across Texas. The discussion explores property rights, eminent domain, data-center energy demand, grid reliability after Winter Storm Uri, and the debate between local dispatchable power and large-s...

Brad Swail interviews Jaime Olin, interim executive director of the Texas Humane Legislation Network, about landmark animal welfare laws in Texas, enforcement challenges, and upcoming legislative priorities. They cover spay-neuter funding, roadside puppy sales bans, criminal negligence protections, ethical pet store reforms, and rural veterinary access. A must-listen for animal advocates, policy w...

Early childhood intervention can change the trajectory of a child’s life—but in Texas, funding hasn’t kept pace with growing need. In this episode of the Texas Talks Podcast , host Brad Swail sits down with Veronda Durden, President and CEO of Any Baby Can , to discuss how early intervention services support children with developmental delays, strengthen families, and build long-term community res...

Former professional tennis player and ATP top-20 competitor Christo van Rensburg joins the Texas Talks podcast to discuss building the ATX Open into one of America’s premier women’s tennis tournaments. The conversation covers WTA rankings, why Austin is the perfect home for women’s pro tennis, developing public courts, attracting top players, and the future of tennis culture in Texas. Watch Full-L...

Texas faces a growing rural health care crisis as hospitals close and emergency access shrinks. In this episode of the Texas Talk Podcast , Rob Morris—CEO of Complete Care and former president of the National Association of Freestanding Emergency Centers—explains how freestanding emergency rooms improve access, reduce costs, and stabilize rural communities. The conversation covers Medicare and Med...