The Spotlight Hour with Linda Olsen

The Spotlight Hour: One World, One Game

On this episode of The Spotlight Hour, a powerful conversation with Calgary Wild FC's Deanna Zumwalt, who opens up about watching Haiti compete in the World Cup, alongside her children who were adopted from Haiti. Also, Wild FC forward, Serita Thurton, part of Canada's next wave of talent, shares her path to professional soccer. It's a conversation about the World Cup, identity, and the future of the women's game here at home.

The Spotlight Hour : After the Uniform

This episode of The Spotlight Hour explores what life looks like after the uniform, through the work of the Canadian Legacy Project's Veterans' Business Bootcamp and the lived experience of a Calgary veteran starting a new chapter after a diagnosis of PTSD. Judy McMillan-Evans shares her work as the Program Coordinator and Evan Wile talks about transitioning out of the military and starting again as an entrepreneur with courage and determination.

The Spotlight Hour: Strength Beyond Sport

On this episode of The Spotlight Hour Podcast: Strength Beyond Sport, legendary fight-world cutman, Jacob “Stitch” Duran, brings the kind of stories only he can tell, from working with Sylvester Stallone, Michael B. Jordan, Wladimir Klitschko, and Mike Tyson, to the real moments in his own life that shaped the man fighters trust most. Stitch opens up in a way fight fans rarely hear, mixing grit, humour, and some deeply personal memories that show exactly why he’s still speaking out about fighter safety. Olympian Christina Smith adds her own lived experience as a trailblazer in women's bobsleigh, sharing what long‑term concussion has meant for her and why she’s now standing shoulder‑to‑shoulder with Stitch to push for safer sport. Two powerful voices, one purpose, and a conversation that cuts through the noise with honesty and heart.

The Spotlight Hour: Building Futures

On this episode of The Spotlight Hour, Building Futures, together. For 30 years, a Calgary for‑profit and a local non‑profit have worked side by side to build futures for girls and young women at risk of homelessness. I speak with Sharlene Massie of About Staffing and Krystyna Lloyd of Safe Haven Foundation of Canada about their rare long‑term partnership, the evolving needs of young women, and why prevention matters.

The Spotlight Hour: The Frontline of Leadership

On this episode of The Spotlight Hour Podcast, I'm looking at The Frontline of Leadership. Calgary Police Chief Katie McLellan and retired Lieutenant-Colonel Deanna Manson join me to talk about what leadership has looked like in their lives, from the early days of their careers to the work they're doing now. We get into the moments that shaped them, what kept them steady, and what they hope the next generation of women and diverse leaders will step into.