“Creating the “Lady Bird” Podcast” Jade Emerson is the reporter, writer and host of “Lady Bird,” a multi-part podcast about the life and legacy of former First Lady Lady Bird Johnson. Like Lady Bird, Jade grew up in a small town in Texas. Jade’s life continued to parallel Lady Bird’s as a journalism student at the University of Texas at Austin. It was there that she first began to work on the podcast at The Drag, the university’s audio production house. Over the next two years, Jade immersed herself in Lady Bird’s world through extensive research at the LBJ Library and by conducting interviews with those who knew and admired her. She traveled across the country on reporting trips to various locations, including Washington D.C. and Lady Bird’s hometown in East Texas. Jade became captivated by Lady Bird’s voice, spending countless hours listening to previously unheard oral history tapes recorded by Lady Bird herself. Her efforts culminated in the release of the “Lady Bird” podcast in June 2023, which garnered both local and national attention. In addition to her podcast work, Jade has contributed articles on Texas ranching and environmental issues for NPR, and her personal essays have been featured in Fort Worth’s women’s magazine. In her free time, Jade can be found with her head in a book, taking notes in her journal, or pointing out wildflowers on her walks through her Austin neighborhood.