On this weekโs episode, Matthew, Evan and Alexa reminisce with Texas Tribune co-founder and Executive Editor Ross Ramey as he wraps up his last day of work.
Matthew Watkins
Matthew Watkins began serving as editor in chief of the Tribune in September 2024. He is a Texas native, born in Houston and raised in Austin. He attended Texas A&M University and has spent his entire professional career in Texas journalism, including stints at The Eagle in Bryan-College Station and The Dallas Morning News. Matthew joined The Texas Tribune in 2015 has held various roles, including higher education reporter, breaking news editor and politics editor. He has helped guide the Tribune's award-winning journalism that has included coverage of six legislative sessions, multiple election cycles, natural disasters and political scandals. He lives in Austin with his wife, Susan, and their two children.
TribCast: Melissa Lucio gets a late reprieve
In this weekโs episode, Matthew speaks with Jolie about the stay of execution in Lucioโs case and with Josh about property taxes in Texas.
TribCast: A week of chaos for trade at the border after Gov. Greg Abbottโs directive
On this weekโs episode, Matthew speaks with James and Uriel about the fallout from Abbottโs decision to do security checks on every commercial truck at the border.
TribCast: Dan Patrick takes on Disney in latest fight over Texas classrooms
In this weekโs episode, Matthew speaks with Brian and James about Dan Patrickโs push for a Texas version of the Florida law governing the discussion of sexuality in schools and Gov. Greg Abbottโs latest action on the border.
T-Squared: Sneha Dey joins us as general assignment reporter
A persistent, meticulous and empathetic reporter, Dey was a spring 2022 fellow at The Texas Tribune. Before that, she was an intern at the Chicago Sun-Times, NPR, Chalkbeat Chicago and City Limits.
TribCast: Layers of scandal in the Texas foster care system
In this weekโs episode, Matthew speaks with Reese and Mitchell about the fallout from sexual abuse allegations at a state-contracted childrenโs shelter and Russian threats against Texasโ energy infrastructure.
TribCast: Two death penalty cases draw attention in Texas
In this weekโs episode, Matthew speaks with Andrew and Jolie about Texansโ role in the confirmation hearing of Ketanji Brown Jackson and two important death penalty cases.
Prairie View A&M President Ruth Simmons to step down
Simmons also served as president of Smith College in Massachusetts and Brown University, where she was the first Black woman to preside over an Ivy League school.
TribCast: Texas Department of Family and Protective Services investigates the families of trans children
In this weekโs episode, Matthew speaks with Eleanor and Sneha about Gov. Greg Abbottโs directive to open child abuse investigations into families providing gender-affirming care for their children.
TribCast: Dan Patrickโs eventful week
On this weekโs episode, Matthew speaks with James and Alexa about Lt. Gov. Dan Patrickโs political power and problems with mail-in ballot applications.





