In the first Hobby Talks episode of 2025, Texas state Sen. Molly Cook shares her policy priorities during her first legislative session, from public education and reliable energy to expanding Medicare and other healthcare equity issues. Hobby Talks host Jim Granato asked the freshman state lawmaker what drove her to run for public office and how her work and background as an emergency room nurse and community organizer translate to her policy agenda at the Texas Capitol. Sen. Cook gave insight into what Texans can expect from the 89th Texas Legislature and her advice for students interested in a public service career.

Sen. Cook represents Senate District 15, which includes several of Houston’s well-known neighborhoods, including Montrose, The Heights, and Acres Homes, as well as suburban pockets of northwest and northeast Harris County. She won a special election and full term in 2024, filling a seat John Whitmire held for four decades before his run for mayor of Houston. Sen. Cook serves on the Senate Committees on Health and Human Services, Administration, and Local Government.

On the second episode of Hobby Talks, historians Don Carleton and Erin Purdy with the Briscoe Center for American History at the University of Texas at Austin discuss the history and impact of Bill Hobby and the Hobby family on Texas. The authors of the biography "Bill Hobby: A Life of Journalism and Public Service" take listeners through extensive research and interviews to publication, sharing highlights from the biography of a legendary lieutenant governor. Hobby Talks host Jim Granato shares insights into how Hobby's approach to public policy and commitment to serving Texans lives on through the school's curriculum and training.

The inaugural episode of Hobby Talks features former U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger discussing his public service career, the presidential election outcome and his hopeful vision for the future of America. The former Illinois congressman also shares how the 9/11 terrorist attacks stirred an urgent sense of duty and call to service, how he entered politics, his message to the political parties and his advice to the next generation of leaders eager to make a difference in their communities. Kinzinger was at the University of Houston on Nov. 13 to deliver a lecture on the state of American democracy for the Elizabeth D. Rockwell Center on Ethics and Leadership.

Welcome to Hobby Talks, a podcast series from the Hobby School of Public Affairs. Hosted by Dean Jim Granato, Hobby Talks features timely conversations on various politics and policy topics with experts, scholars, and those who are guiding the most complex challenges facing our region and state. The podcast series expands the school's access to thought-provoking discussions and encourages cross-disciplinary dialogue on relevant issues. For more information, visit uh.edu/hobby/hobbytalks.