From Senate Messenger to CEO of Habitat for Humanity Texas, Amy Ledbetter Parham shares the unique challenges of nonprofit advocacy, negotiating with “lizard people” (no, not folks in Austin), and what it's like to build a house on the Capitol grounds.

People and groups mentioned in this podcast: 

Senator Bob Glasgow 

Habitat for Humanity 

LBJ School of Public Affairs 

President Jimmy Carter 

Visit Habitat for Humanity Texas for more information about their work and how you can support their efforts to provide affordable housing.  

A very special thanks to Fallout Theater for providing their podcast studio. Check them out for great improv, stand up and sketch comedy just blocks from the Texas Capitol. 

Co-hosts Stephanie Chiarello and David Mintz bring you Cap Chat Texas, a podcast dedicated to building community at the Texas Capitol by highlighting the people who make it all happen. From staffers to lobbyists to journalists, Cap Chat Texas explores the stories, experiences, and perspectives of those shaping daily life under the Pink Dome.

Regarded as one of the state’s premier lobbyists, Rusty Kelley literally started out mopping floors in the Capitol.  In this episode Rusty tells about his deep respect for the institution, legislators he has admired and how the Sharpstown Scandal transformed lobbying in Texas.

Cap Chat Texas spotlights the people who keep the Texas Capitol running. From staffers to lobbyists to journalists, we explore the stories, experiences, and perspectives of those shaping daily life under the Pink Dome.

Join hosts Stephanie Chiarello and David Mintz for candid conversations and fresh insights.

A very special thanks to Fallout Theater for providing their podcast studio. Check them out for great improv, stand up and sketch comedy just blocks from the Texas Capitol. 

People mentioned in this podcast: 

Dick Brown 

Senator Jack Christie

Speaker Billy Clayton 

Speaker Price Daniel, Jr. 

Jeff Davis 

Senator Kevin Eltife 

Jack Gullahorn

Representative Bill Messer 

Lawrence Olsen 

Tommy Townsend 

The Sharpstown Scandal 

A very special thanks to Fallout Theater for providing their podcast studio. Check them out for great improv, stand up and sketch comedy just blocks from the Texas Capitol. 

Co-hosts Stephanie Chiarello and David Mintz bring you Cap Chat Texas, a podcast dedicated to building community at the Texas Capitol by highlighting the people who make it all happen. From staffers to lobbyists to journalists, Cap Chat Texas explores the stories, experiences, and perspectives of those shaping daily life under the Pink Dome.

People mentioned in this podcast:

Representative Roberto Alonzo

Senator Hugo Berlanga

Speaker Billy Clayton

Congressman Ron Coleman

Representative Robby Cook

Lynn Cutler  

Representative Linda Garcia

Calvin Guest

Representative Susan King

Representative Mike McKinney

Representative Doug Miller

Representative Christina Morales

Gloria Moreno

Kate Raetz

Representative Mark Strama

A very special thanks to Fallout Theater for providing their podcast studio. Check them out for great improv, stand up and sketch comedy just blocks from the Texas Capitol. 

Co-hosts Stephanie Chiarello and David Mintz bring you Cap Chat Texas, a podcast dedicated to building community at the Texas Capitol by highlighting the people who make it all happen. From staffers to lobbyists to journalists, Cap Chat Texas explores the stories, experiences, and perspectives of those shaping daily life under the Pink Dome.

Lawyer/lobbyist Michelle Wittenburg shares how a chance encounter at a charity event—and a love of reading the paper—launched a career that has included running campaigns and working in all three branches of government. Michelle talks about the value of surrounding herself with good people, balancing work with philanthropic efforts, and the joy of coming home to a house full of animals.

People mentioned in this podcast:

Senator Bill Sims 

House Speaker Tom Craddick

Representative Kyle Kacal 

Representative Ken King  

Judge Lee Yeakel

Lewis Sessions 

Congressman Pete Sessions  

Andrea Sloan 

Justice Nathan Hecht 

Rahsaan King 

Jack Jack’s Pack Street Dog Rescue 

KK125 Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation 

A very special thanks to Fallout Theater for providing their podcast studio. Check them out for great improv, stand up and sketch comedy just blocks from the Texas Capitol. 

Co-hosts Stephanie Chiarello and David Mintz bring you Cap Chat Texas, a podcast dedicated to building community at the Texas Capitol by highlighting the people who make it all happen. From staffers to lobbyists to journalists, Cap Chat Texas explores the stories, experiences, and perspectives of those shaping daily life under the Pink Dome.

How does an aspiring ballerina and environmental scientist end up running a legislative office? From starting as an intern in 2007 to serving as Chief of Staff for a state representative, Stephanie shares tips for new staffers, explains the '72-hour rule' for reviewing potential legislation, and reveals the surprising benefits of befriending penguins. 

People talked about on this episode:

Sherri Greenberg, Mike Villarreal, Peter Clark, LBJ, Gina Amatangelo, Laura Hernandez, Harold Cook, Amber Hausenfluck, CATS, Shawn Leventhal, Mackenzie Astin

A very special thanks to Fallout Theater for providing their podcast studio. Check them out for great improv, stand up and sketch comedy just blocks from the Texas Capitol. 

Co-hosts Stephanie Chiarello and David Mintz bring you Cap Chat Texas, a podcast dedicated to building community at the Texas Capitol by highlighting the people who make it all happen. From staffers to lobbyists to journalists, Cap Chat Texas explores the stories, experiences, and perspectives of those shaping daily life under the Pink Dome.

People and topics mentioned in the podcast: The Texas Tribune, Texas Weekly, Ron DeSantis, The Florida Legislature, cats

A very special thanks to Fallout Theater for providing their podcast studio. Check them out for great improv, stand up and sketch comedy just blocks from the Texas Capitol. 

Co-hosts Stephanie Chiarello and David Mintz bring you Cap Chat Texas, a podcast dedicated to building community at the Texas Capitol by highlighting the people who make it all happen. From staffers to lobbyists to journalists, Cap Chat Texas explores the stories, experiences, and perspectives of those shaping daily life under the Pink Dome.

People and topics mentioned in the podcast:

Mike Villareal, Baylor Law School LBJ School of Public Affairs

A very special thanks to Fallout Theater for providing their podcast studio. Check them out for great improv, stand up and sketch comedy just blocks from the Texas Capitol. 

Co-hosts Stephanie Chiarello and David Mintz bring you Cap Chat Texas, a podcast dedicated to building community at the Texas Capitol by highlighting the people who make it all happen. From staffers to lobbyists to journalists, Cap Chat Texas explores the stories, experiences, and perspectives of those shaping daily life under the Pink Dome.

People and topics mentioned in the podcast:

Lt. Governor Bill Hobby, House Speaker Joe Straus, Oveta Culp Hobby, Interim Babies, Bob Kelly, Steven Collins, Chris Greisel, “Night of Great Unpleasantness”, Bob “Big Daddy” Johnson, Sharon Carter, Gordon Johnson

A very special thanks to Fallout Theater for providing their podcast studio. Check them out for great improv, stand up and sketch comedy just blocks from the Texas Capitol. 

Co-hosts Stephanie Chiarello and David Mintz bring you Cap Chat Texas, a podcast dedicated to building community at the Texas Capitol by highlighting the people who make it all happen. From staffers to lobbyists to journalists, Cap Chat Texas explores the stories, experiences, and perspectives of those shaping daily life under the Pink Dome.

A very special thanks to Fallout Theater for providing their podcast studio. Check them out for great improv, stand up and sketch comedy just blocks from the Texas Capitol. 

Co-hosts Stephanie Chiarello and David Mintz bring you Cap Chat Texas, a podcast dedicated to building community at the Texas Capitol by highlighting the people who make it all happen. From staffers to lobbyists to journalists, Cap Chat Texas explores the stories, experiences, and perspectives of those shaping daily life under the Pink Dome.