Atkins and Ryan go deep into what drives decision-making, the slippery slope of compromised values, and why being a steady, ethical presence in an organization is more powerful than we think. Along the way, they get a little lost in 90s country nostalgia, try to cast the movie of Atkins’s life, and toy with the idea of forming a HETMA house band. This is more than just a follow-up—it’s a masterclass in consistency, character, and how showing up with quiet authenticity shapes a culture.
Topics Discussed
• What Atkins would do if not in higher ed or tech (spoiler: drums are involved)
• His musical roots, band geek origins, and love for 90s country
• The challenge of naming the HETMA band and Joe Way’s Slash story
• Casting Jake Gyllenhaal in the movie of his life
• Whether people are fundamentally good—and how that belief shapes his work
• Ethics in leadership, from timecards to treasury duties
• The contagious nature of moral culture, good or bad
• Travel hacks from Central Texas and the 16-hour rule of driving through Texas
• Why Atkins always uses the same Zoom background (and what it says about him)
• The most common answer to “a question you wish people asked you”
Guest Info
Atkins Fleming
Assistant Director for Learning Spaces, Texas State University
Treasurer, HETMA
atkins@txstate.edu
Ryan Gray – Host
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanagray/
Email: ryan@higheredav.com www.higheredav.com
Voiceover by Chris Dechter
We’d love your feedback! Email us or find us in the HETMA Community.
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