In this episode, Broc Carter sits down with Brandi Reed, the CEO of Family Support Services, to talk about the life experiences that shaped her leadership—and the critical, behind-the-scenes work Family Support Services provides across the Texas Panhandle.
Brandi shares her journey from being born in Fresno, California, to growing up in tiny Logan, New Mexico, before moving to Amarillo to attend West Texas A&M University. After earning her degree in mass communications, she spent years serving others—working everywhere from nonprofit and community service roles to mission-driven work that fueled her passion for helping underserved populations.
Her career path eventually led her to the Amarillo Globe-News, then to Camp Fire USA, where she worked in development and events and deepened her nonprofit leadership experience. Brandi explains how motherhood, life transitions, and a strong pull toward advocacy ultimately brought her to Family Support Services—first as a volunteer hospital advocate, then as a staff member starting nearly two decades ago.
Broc and Brandi discuss how her early “hands-in-everything” role evolved into building prevention and education programming through evidence-based models, community partnerships, and competitive state and federal grants. Brandi breaks down what “evidence-based” really means and why fidelity to proven program models matters when working with families and youth.
Brandi also reflects on stepping into the CEO role at a pivotal time—especially after the agency’s devastating 2020 fire and the long road to rebuilding. She shares the emotional loss of the organization’s historical archives, the resilience of staff who kept services running (including the crisis hotline), and the community support that helped the organization continue serving survivors through both the fire and the pandemic.
The conversation closes with a look at the ongoing needs in Amarillo—especially around counseling access, prevention work in schools, support for veterans, and sustainable funding. Brandi emphasizes that there are many ways to support Family Support Services, and Broc highlights the organization’s essential role in the region.
About the show: This Is the Panhandle is a production of the Amarillo Area Foundation.
Learn more at amarilloareafoundation.org.
