What would it take for Austin to become the best city in America for kids? That question is driving Generation ATX, an initiative launched by Austin Mayor Kirk Watson and the City of Austin in 2025. The goal is simple but ambitious: unite the community around improving outcomes for more than 176,000 students across Central Texas.

In this episode of the Changing Austin podcast, powered by Amplify Credit Union, Chief Experience Officer Stacy Armijo sits down with Mayor Watson to explore the vision behind Generation ATX and what it will take to make Austin the best place to grow up. Drawing on his first term as mayor beginning in 1997 and his return to office, Watson reflects on how Austin’s biggest challenges are tied to its rapid growth and success, and how the city can address affordability to ensure that Austin works for its next generation.

Follow Mayor Kirk Watson on Instagram and LinkedIn:

https://www.instagram.com/kirkpwatson/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirk-watson-045ab81b

Follow Stacy Armijo on Instagram and LinkedIn:

https://www.instagram.com/stacy.armijo https://www.linkedin.com/in/stacyarmijo

About Changing Austin:

Changing Austin examines the people shaping one of America's fastest-growing regions. From reimagining business models to doubling down on nonprofit missions, Changing Austin shares real stories about Austin's unique past and promising future.

VISIT Changing Austin at www.changingaustin.com

• Subscribe on Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/1a5623a8-9852-4a9b-948c-0f686aa14e4c/changing-austin
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Changing Austin is powered by Amplify Credit Union, Austin's home for fee-free commercial banking. #austin #austintexas

For some professionals, success means mastering one industry over decades. But author and entrepreneur Janice Omadeke takes a different approach. She describes herself as a “hummingbird,” moving across industries and ideas to drive innovation, scale leadership systems, and build more effective organizations.

In this episode of the Changing Austin podcast, powered by Amplify Credit Union, Chief Experience Officer Stacy Armijo sits down with Omadeke to explore her rapid rise as a leadership expert and entrepreneur in Austin’s growing tech ecosystem.

From founding The Mentor Method, an enterprise mentorship platform designed to strengthen workplace culture and leadership development, to shaping conversations around the future of work, Omadeke shares how cross-industry thinking fuels creativity, innovation, and scalable impact.

Follow Janice Omadeke on Instagram and LinkedIn:

https://www.instagram.com/janiceomadeke https://www.linkedin.com/in/janiceomadeke

Follow Stacy Armijo on Instagram and LinkedIn:

https://www.instagram.com/stacy.armijo https://www.linkedin.com/in/stacyarmijo

About Changing Austin:

Changing Austin examines the people shaping one of America's fastest-growing regions. From reimagining business models to doubling down on nonprofit missions, Changing Austin shares real stories about Austin's unique past and promising future.

VISIT Changing Austin at www.changingaustin.com

• Subscribe on Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/1a5623a8-9852-4a9b-948c-0f686aa14e4c/changing-austin
• Subscribe on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/changing-austin/id1820951608
• Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1gOBx6yCBEovj4IEb8LEhj?si=89088bb99af24177

Changing Austin is powered by Amplify Credit Union, Austin's home for fee-free commercial banking. #austin #austintexas

Joel Kocher couldn’t tell you why he’s been so successful at identifying the game-changing potential of companies. He just knows the moment when he sees it. But that doesn’t mean Kocher can’t connect some of the dots that brought him to his current role as the co-founder and CEO of Humann, a nutrition company focused on cardiovascular health.

In this episode of the Changing Austin podcast powered by Amplify Credit Union, Chief Experience Officer Stacy Armijo sits down with Kocher to discuss his unconventional business journey. From gambling his career on the vision of Michael Dell at Dell Computers to being in the right conference room at the right time to help turn Humann into one of the official brands of University of Texas Athletics, Kocher reflects on those make-or-break moments in life that have long defined his career as an entrepreneur and business leader.

Follow Jeremiah Bentley on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jkocher

Follow Stacy Armijo on Instagram and LinkedIn:

www.instagram.com/stacy.armijo www.linkedin.com/in/stacyarmijo

About Changing Austin:

Changing Austin examines the people shaping one of America's fastest-growing regions. From reimagining business models to doubling down on nonprofit missions, Changing Austin shares real stories about Austin's unique past and promising future.

VISIT Changing Austin at www.changingaustin.com

• Subscribe on Amazon: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/1a5623a8-9852-4a9b-948c-0f686aa14e4c/changing-austin
• Subscribe on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/changing-austin/id1820951608
• Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1gOBx6yCBEovj4IEb8LEhj?si=272e2d14b0ad45ec

Changing Austin is powered by Amplify Credit Union, Austin's home for fee-free commercial banking.