Serving in Silence, Sparking a Revolution: Building America's Backbone
Release Date: 06/30/2025
Capital, Courage & Calling: How Karen Robinson Cope Is Redefining Power
Spark Sessions
In this episode of Spark Sessions with Sonya Locke, Sonya welcomes Karen Robinson Cope, a powerhouse entrepreneur and impact investor who has raised over $100 million in venture capital, built and sold multiple companies, and mentored hundreds of founders along the way. As the first-ever Woman of the Year in Technology in Georgia, Karen has spent her career proving that you don’t have to choose between success and service. You can build a legacy that does both. From closing nine-figure deals to helping lift more than 20 million people out of poverty through microfinance, Karen’s journey...
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Fit to Lead, Sculpting Success: Katherine Mason on Building a Bold Brand
Spark Sessions
In this episode of Spark Sessions with Sonya Locke, Sonya is joined by Katherine Mason, the powerhouse founder and CEO of SculptHouse; a boutique fitness and fashion brand redefining what it means to move with purpose. From her early days as a Wilhelmina fitness model in New York City to launching her flagship studio in Atlanta at just 25, Katherine has built a brand that fuses high-performance workouts with high-style retail and empowers women every step of the way. Together, Sonya and Katherine explore the spark that lit her entrepreneurial fire, the resilience it took to scale a business...
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Reclaiming Radiance: The Power of Aging Out Loud
Spark Sessions
In this episode of Spark Sessions with Sonya Locke, Sonya welcomes Linda McIver, a visionary in women’s health and longevity who is boldly redefining what it means to age with purpose, vitality, and power. As a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner and the founder of ÂgeBlu and 2UMedical, Linda brings nearly 30 years of experience bridging traditional medicine with cutting-edge functional care. Together, Sonya and Linda trace the spark that started it all from Linda’s early days in critical care to building a concierge wellness model focused on healing the whole person. They explore...
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Serving in Silence, Sparking a Revolution: Building America's Backbone
Spark Sessions
In this episode of Spark Sessions, Sonya Locke is joined by Liza Rodewald and Erica McMannes, the visionary cofounders of Instant Teams. What began with a single Facebook message grew into a revolutionary remote workforce company that has returned more than 70 million dollars in wages to military families across the country. Liza and Erica share how their contrasting backgrounds, one in technology and entrepreneurship and the other in military family advocacy, came together to solve a national crisis hiding in plain sight. From navigating deployments and motherhood to raising venture capital...
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The Southern Spark: Leading Boldly & Balancing Gracefully
Spark Sessions
In this powerful episode of Spark Sessions with Sonya Locke, we welcome Jennifer Bodner, the trailblazing Founder and CEO of Babbit Bodner Public Relations. Known for her signature blend of bold leadership and Southern warmth, Jennifer has built one of Atlanta’s most respected PR agencies while raising three children and redefining what modern executive presence can look like. Jennifer opens up about the spark that ignited her journey. From writing her first book in college to leading global campaigns at Edelman, and eventually taking the leap into entrepreneurship, she shares how Babbit...
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Wearing Many Crowns: Leading with Grace in Pageants and Practice
Spark Sessions
In this episode of Spark Sessions, host Sonya Locke sits down with the remarkable Emmaline Farmer, Miss Georgia USA 2024 and a freshly minted Family Nurse Practitioner graduate from Emory University. From stethoscopes to sashes, Emmaline is rewriting the narrative of what it means to lead with both strength and softness, intelligence and elegance. Together, Sonya and Emmaline dive into the roots that shaped her from growing up in small-town Georgia to discovering her calling in both service and self-expression and navigating the pressures of dual identities in healthcare and pageantry....
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Building Crowns & Legacies: The Woman Behind Positive Pageantry
Spark Sessions
In this episode of Spark Sessions with Sonya Locke, Sonya welcomes Jackie Watson, the founder and CEO of USA National Miss, for an inspiring and deeply personal conversation. Jackie is a woman who did not inherit a legacy. She built one. What began as a mother’s love for her daughter turned into a national platform now known as Positive Pageantry, which has helped thousands of young women step into their confidence, purpose, and leadership. Sonya and Jackie discuss the early spark that ignited Jackie’s mission to transform the pageant world, and the bold steps she took to launch a new kind...
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The Power Behind the Spotlight: Building Legacy Through Vision, Talent & Intuition
Spark Sessions
In this insightful episode of Spark Sessions with Sonya Locke, Sonya is joined by Keela Starr, a visionary entrepreneur who turned a bold leap of faith into a legacy. Keela shares the moment she walked away from corporate life, offered to intern for free, and began building what would become KStarr Management and The Nova Center. Their conversation dives into the early sparks that shaped Keela’s journey, the challenges that refined her, and the healing practices that now guide how she leads. From discovering global fashion talent to integrating Reiki and energy work into her business model...
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Breaking the Barrier: A Woman’s Ascent in Aerospace & Beyond
Spark Sessions
In this inspiring episode of Spark Sessions, Sonya Locke sits down with Ruth Garcia, Vice President of Marketing & Communications at AllClear Aerospace & Defense and Vice President of the Women in Defense Greater Los Angeles Chapter, for a raw and remarkable conversation on breaking barriers. From her beginnings as a first-generation American in Saginaw, Michigan, to leading global communications for a major aerospace company, Ruth’s story is fueled by determination, resilience, and purpose. Together, they explore Ruth’s unconventional path to executive leadership, how...
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Three Generations, One Fire: Women Leading with Purpose
Spark Sessions
In this powerful debut episode of Spark Sessions with Sonya Locke, we’re turning up the heat with a full panel of women who are shaping the future of leadership, each from a different generation, but united by one shared fire. Join Sonya Locke as she sits down with Alba Andrade (Corporate Regional Recruiting Manager), Griselda Botello (Director of Talent Acquisition), and Gabriela Rader (Human Resources Director) for a candid, deeply human conversation about what it means to lead, grow, and thrive across generations. From the firestarter moments that launched their careers to the evolving...
info_outlineIn this episode of Spark Sessions, Sonya Locke is joined by Liza Rodewald and Erica McMannes, the visionary cofounders of Instant Teams. What began with a single Facebook message grew into a revolutionary remote workforce company that has returned more than 70 million dollars in wages to military families across the country.
Liza and Erica share how their contrasting backgrounds, one in technology and entrepreneurship and the other in military family advocacy, came together to solve a national crisis hiding in plain sight. From navigating deployments and motherhood to raising venture capital and building a business rooted in community, their story is one of grit, purpose, and innovation.
Together, they discuss the challenges military spouses face, the policy changes that are still needed, and why empowering this often overlooked workforce is essential to both economic opportunity and national readiness.
This episode is about more than creating jobs. It is about restoring dignity, fostering belonging, and building the foundation of America’s workforce, one remote career at a time.