Hey Amarillo

Jason Boyett
  • 4.9 (127)
  • PLACES & TRAVEL
  • UPDATED WEEKLY
Hey Amarillo

Hey Amarillo is a weekly, one-on-one interview podcast hosted by Jason Boyett, and featuring the people and stories of Amarillo, Texas.

  1. 3 DAYS AGO

    Keralee Clay

    A conversation with Keralee Clay, the Interim President and CEO of the Amarillo Area Foundation. She's been part of the AAF team for years, but stepped into her new role after the passing of Clay Stribling in December 2024. Keralee has a deep background in operations and management, but her career has also been broad. She spent several years working for Amarillo Little Theatre and the Amarillo Civic Center. She lived and performed in New York City for a decade. She was a human resources consultant. Keralee shares with host Jason Boyett how those roles prepared her for this new one, what it's like to guide a large organization during a tragic leadership change, and what she learned from Stribling as a colleague. This episode is supported by SKP Creative and Panhandle Plains Historical Museum.

    43 min

  2. JAN 13

    Tony Ensor

    A conversation with Tony Ensor, the President and General Manager of the Amarillo Sod Poodles, the Double-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks and baseball's 2023 Minor League Organization of the Year. Before Amarillo, Ensor led the front office of the Colorado Springs Sky Sox and the Birmingham Barons. The first time he appeared on Hey Amarillo (via phone) was in 2019 at the height of the local controversy about the team name. Six years later, he shares with host Jason Boyett how his own career developed, how that moment of drama made the organization stronger, and why Amarillo is the key to the Sod Poodles' overwhelming success. This episode is supported by Storybridge and Panhandle Plains Historical Museum.

    54 min

  3. JAN 6

    Stephani Serna

    A conversation with Stephani Serna, who lives in Amarillo but works for Porsche Financial Services. Stephani grew up in Amarillo but was born in Mexico, which means she spent most of her childhood in the High Plains without legal immigration status. A DACA recipient, Stephani grew up in extreme poverty and spent her childhood navigating the anxiety of deportation while also serving as a language interpreter for her mother and grandparents. She eventually became a U.S. citizen, graduated from high school and college, landed at Porsche, and has even given a TedX talk. She shares her story with host Jason Boyett, including the impact of local organizations like Mission 2540. This episode is supported by Shemen Dental and Panhandle Plains Historical Museum.

    57 min

  4. 12/31/2024

    Jim Dewitz

    A conversation with Jim Dewitz, the local owner/operator (along with his wife, Candy) of Big Jim's Pizza, the iconic KN Root Beer, and the Tascosa Drive-In Theater. Originally from the Chicago area, Dewitz came to Amarillo in his late teens, then built a career in construction and apartment management before ending up an owner of the La Bella Pizza on Olsen. He rebranded it as Big Jim's—and soon added the other two businesses to his portfolio. Dewitz shares with host Jason Boyett why he stayed in Amarillo, his rocky path to entrepreneurship and what he loves about this community. This episode is supported by Amarillo Habitat for Humanity and Panhandle Plains Historical Museum.

    48 min

  5. 12/23/2024

    Carter Estes

    A conversation with Carter Estes, the executive director (and first full-time staff member) of Elevate Amarillo, a nonprofit dedicated to connecting young professionals through networking, professional development, and community service. Estes is also a City of Amarillo employee, having served in multiple positions since earning a Masters of Public Policy at the prestigious Harvard Kennedy School—formerly the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Estes tells host Jason Boyett about his path from growing up in White Deer to attending Harvard, and how that journey ultimately brought him to Amarillo. This episode is supported by La-Z-Boy of Amarillo and Panhandle Plains Historical Museum.

    44 min

  6. 12/16/2024

    Elizabeth Pakravan

    A conversation with Elizabeth Pakravan, the founder and executive director of Martha Root Community Building, a nonprofit that equips children and their parents in underserved communities. Originally from Paraguay, Pakravan spent several years in Oregon before moving to Amarillo two years ago. She is a member of the Bahá'í faith, and her work reflects the promotion of unity and betterment of society that are central to this fast-growing global religion. Pakravan tells host Jason Boyett about her work, her appreciation for Amarillo as her family's new home, and how locals respond to her religious tradition—especially given the pervasive Christian beliefs of the Texas Panhandle. This episode is supported by SKP Creative, Storybridge, and Panhandle Plains Historical Museum.

    43 min

  7. 12/09/2024

    Matthew Wright

    A conversation with Matthew Wright, an Amarillo-based Assistant Federal Public Defender for the Northern District of Texas. This past summer, Wright argued a landmark case before the U.S. Supreme Court, United States vs. Rahimi, related to firearm possession by individuals who are subject to domestic violence restraining orders. And though the Court decided against his client, the outcome made headlines across the United States. In this episode, Wright tells host Jason Boyett why he became a public defender, how the work brought him to Amarillo, and how it ended up taking him all the way to the Supreme Court. This episode is supported by Shemen Dental and Panhandle Plains Historical Museum.

    50 min

  8. 12/02/2024

    Ben Parks

    A conversation with Ben Parks, the founder and "sound wrangler" of American Cowboy Radio and a former locomotive engineer for BNSF Railway. American Cowboy Radio streams worldwide from West Texas, with the goal of preserving and promoting what Parks calls "the authentic American cowboy way of life." Prior to this career and his locomotive career, Parks spent part of two decades managing the legendary Amarillo restaurant Char-Kel. He shares with host Jason Boyett about Char-Kel's heyday, why the business ended in the 1990s, how his cowboy radio idea developed and why Amarillo remains his home base. This episode is supported by PestTex Pest Control, Wolflin Square, and Panhandle Plains Historical Museum.

    54 min
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4.9
out of 5
127 Ratings

About

Hey Amarillo is a weekly, one-on-one interview podcast hosted by Jason Boyett, and featuring the people and stories of Amarillo, Texas.

Information

  • Creator
    Jason Boyett
  • Years Active
    2017 - 2025
  • Episodes
    390
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2017-2024 Jason Boyett
  • Show Website
    Hey Amarillo

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