The Ashley B. Cash Show

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...

Texas education is at a turning point, and the leaders shaping that future matter more than ever. Representative Caroline Fairly of Amarillo is one of those leaders. A faith-driven West Texas native with a background in business, federal policy, and healthcare, Rep. Fairly came into her freshman legislative session ready to work — and work she did. She carried HB 1481 — the bill that enabled phone...

Alexia Ferrari — known as The Millionaire Homemaker — walked away from a decorated corporate career that included leadership development for the Department of the Navy and managing some of this nation's most critical defense programs, and built a thriving business from her kitchen table. Today she leads a movement of over 500,000 followers, helping mothers launch and scale profitable online b...

Every time the Texas legislature meets, our freedom is on the line. That's not a talking point — it's the reality Tim Lambert has been living for over 30 years. This week, I'm sitting down with Tim Lambert, founder of the Texas Home School Coalition, for a wide-ranging conversation about what it actually takes to protect parental rights in Texas — session after session, bill after b...

If you've been wondering whether someone is actually out there doing the hard work of protecting Texas kids — meet Susan Perez. Susan is the founder of Citizens for Education Reform in Lubbock, Texas, an organization she built from the ground up in 2021 to stop indoctrination in our schools and put communities back in control of their children's education. She's an Amazon Bestsellin...

She had more questions. Ashley had more answers. And this conversation delivered. Dr. Sima Shahbandar — founder of Omri Med and a woman who approaches everything in life with intention and care — came back to The Ashley B. Cash Show, and this time, she brought even more to the table. From education reform to the realities of parenting in a broken system, to building financial literacy no matter wh...

What happens when a former classroom teacher gets tired of watching unions and bureaucrats suffocate students — and decides to do something about it? You get Ryan Walters. As Oklahoma's former State Superintendent of Public Instruction and now CEO of the Teacher Freedom Alliance, Ryan Walters has become one of the most disruptive forces in American education reform. And he's just getting...

What does it mean to truly care for someone? Dr. Sima Shahbandar has built her life around that answer. As the founder of Omri Med — a concierge medical practice rooted in elegance, intention, and depth — Dr. Shahbandar approaches everything she does with precision and purpose. The name itself says it all: Omri , an Arabic term of endearment meaning "my life," reflects a philosophy of tr...

What happens when a mother refuses to look the other way? In this episode, Ashley sits down with State Representative Hillary Hickland (HD-55) — ninth-generation Texan, mother of four, and one of the boldest voices in Texas education reform. Rep. Hickland gets unfiltered about what pushed her into the fight — including the shocking content she discovered in schools — and why she made a personal vo...

What happens when a retired Army veteran becomes one of Texas's most fearless education reform advocates? In this powerful episode, I sit down with Brenda Howard, who went from organizing parents during the pandemic to testifying before the Texas Legislature and serving on the Texas Advisory Council for Educational Opportunities for Military Children. Brenda pulls no punches as she shares wha...

Texas State Senator Charles Perry joins host Ashley B. Cash for an expansive conversation about what happens when common sense finally breaks through the legislative process. With decades of experience navigating the complexities of state government, Senator Perry offers a rare glimpse into how meaningful reform actually gets done—and why it takes years of persistence to move the needle on issues...

In this powerful conversation, Dr. Sean McDowell, President of Lubbock Christian University, challenges the modern education system's failures and offers a vision for genuine transformation. We explore why today's students are underprepared despite grade inflation, how technology addiction is replacing critical thinking, and what it truly takes to restore excellence in education. Key Top...

We're sending kids out of high school completely unprepared for the real world, and wondering why they're anxious, directionless, and failing to launch. This week on The Path Forward, I sat down with LindaGail Walker - a 30-year education veteran, nationally recognized expert in post-traumatic growth, and lead co-author of USC's Trauma Readiness course. In this episode, we talked ab...

Jackie Fagan Perry joins The Path Forward to discuss the critical challenges facing Texas teachers and practical solutions to keep passionate educators in the classroom. From merit pay and the Teacher Incentive Allotment to early intervention strategies and coaching models, Jackie shares insights on how Texas can recruit, retain, and support the teachers our students desperately need. We explore t...