Hey Amarillo

A conversation with Whitney Dowd, DNP, founder of Blumologie Health, Beauty & Wellness. A long-time nurse and now a nurse practitioner, this Amarillo native has worked in a variety of local healthcare settings, including a decade at the Northwest J.O. Wyatt Clinic. Now at Blumologie, Dowd combines direct primary care with women's health and hormone services—as well as aesthetics. She tells host Jason Boyett about her medical path, the challenges she has overcome, and why her presence as a woman of color in the healthcare world fosters trust and open communication among her patients. This episode is supported by SKP Creative, Wieck Realty and Panhandle Plains Historical Museum.

A conversation with J. Pat Hickman, the founder of Happy State Bank. In 1990, Hickman led a group of investors to purchase a very small bank in Happy, Texas, that had just $10 million in deposits. He then served for 32 years as the Chairman, President and CEO of Happy State Bank. When it sold in 2022, Happy had become one of the largest banks in the state. Hickman shares that origin story with host Jason Boyett. He also explains why he used the first years of his retirement to return to Texas Tech to finish his undergraduate degree. This episode is supported by SKP Creative, PestTex Pest Control, Amarillo Habitat for Humanity and Panhandle Plains Historical Museum.

A conversation with Chris Jackson, neighborhood planner for the City of Amarillo. An Amarillo native who grew up in the foster care system, Jackson now works within the city's Neighborhood Planning Initiative to help older and underserved parts of town "catch up" in terms of infrastructure and services. These neighborhoods include the North Heights, the Barrio, San Jacinto and Eastridge. Jackson works directly with neighborhood resident associations guiding them to implement a variety of projects. He shares with host Jason Boyett about his background, the complicated nature of projects like the recent creative crosswalks, and why the city is working so hard to revitalize these neighborhoods in the first place. This episode is supported by SKP Creative, Storybridge and Panhandle Plains Historical Museum.

A conversation with Dr. Amy Von Lintel, a professor of art history at West Texas A&M University and the director of WT's Gender Studies Program. Von Lintel also co-owns Old Tascosa Brewing Company with her husband, Matt Welch. She is the preeminent local expert on the legendary artist Georgia O'Keeffe's time in Amarillo and Canyon and has written multiple books—including next year's Art at the Crossroads—about the influence of the Texas Panhandle in the larger art world. She shares with host Jason Boyett how she ended up in Amarillo, why this region is known for such creative output, what it's like to operate a taproom on Historic Sixth Street, and a lot more. This episode is supported by The Shops at Wolflin Square, Jimmy John's and Panhandle Plains Historical Museum.

A conversation with Laura Street, a nonprofit consultant who has spent the past 25 years intimately involved in local leadership. She is the past executive director of the Laura W. Bush Institute for Women's Health at the Texas Tech Health Sciences Center in Amarillo, and served as the founding executive director of the Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts—where she led a campaign to raise more than $33 million and supervised the construction of that landmark building. By her count, she has served as president on at least 18 local, regional and state boards. Laura Street shares with host Jason Boyett what originally brought her to Amarillo, her early career in nursing, and what drives her to stay involved with so many elements of this community. This episode is supported by Shemen Dental and Panhandle Plains Historical Museum.

A conversation with Angie Duncan, who describes herself as "The Amarillo Narcan Lady." She's the founder of the nonprofit Texas Panhandle Overdose Awareness. She has made it her mission to give out, as often as possible, the over-the-counter nasal spray Narcan®/naloxone, which can be used to reverse the effects of opioid overdose. In fact, she says several local people have been rapidly rescued from overdoses by this life-saving drug. Duncan shares her personal story with host Jason Boyett about how a fentanyl overdose impacted her family, and why conversations about Narcan can be uncomfortable in this area. This episode is supported by La-Z-Boy of Amarillo and Panhandle Plains Historical Museum.

A conversation with Tim Reid, the executive director of the Texas Panhandle War Memorial. The museum and memorial represent what he calls his "third career," following a stint in education at Ascension Academy and 30-plus years as an FBI agent. Reid shares with host Jason Boyett about growing up in the foster care system, his unsuccessful 2022 political campaign for Texas Senate 31, why he chose Amarillo for his "retirement," and why he believes the War Memorial to be one of the city's premier educational experiences. This episode is supported by Wieck Realty and Panhandle Plains Historical Museum.

A conversation with Brittani Sullivan, the owner/operator of Sips & Giggles Mobile Bar. Sullivan was born in Amarillo but moved to Colorado when she was 10, and lived there until returning to Amarillo in 2021. A former teacher, she used the move to become an entrepreneur, launching her mobile bartending service in Amarillo. She shares with host Jason Boyett about the reasons for her return, how she builds relationships through her business, and what it's like to be such a big part of local weddings, parties and moments of celebration. This episode is supported by Storybridge, Amarillo Habitat for Humanity and Panhandle Plains Historical Museum.

A conversation with Jeff Whelchel, M.D., of the Healthy Hormones clinic in Amarillo and a financial advisor at Wood Financial. He's also the author of The New Thyroid Handbook. A native of Claude, Whelchel served as a family doctor in Amarillo for more than 23 years before pivoting to financial services, a transition triggered by a personal health crisis. Whelchel tells host Jason Boyett about the joys and frustrations of his medical career, why he made a midlife career change, and how helping people manage their money aligns with helping people improve their health. This episode is supported by Shemen Dental, The Shops at Wolflin Square and Panhandle Plains Historical Museum.

A conversation with Sharla Valdez, president of the Crown of Texas Hospice Foundation. As a young hospice nurse and entrepreneur, she became one of the founders of Crown of Texas Hospice, which operated in Amarillo from 1991 to 2004. Then in 2000, she launched Valmed Home Health & Pharmacy and served as its CEO and founder before exiting that business last year. Valdez shares with host Jason Boyett about her passion for hospice care, how her family's farm-and-ranch background prepared her for entrepreneurship, and why she's not yet ready to retire. This episode is supported by Blue Handle Publishing, La-Z-Boy Furniture and Panhandle Plains Historical Museum.