A bold, inspiring series spotlighting women who are blazing trails in business, leadership, and life. Hosted by Sonya Locke, each conversation fans the flames of ambition, resilience, and impact - proving that all it takes is a spark to light a movement.
Built for Growth: Julienne Smith on Ambition, Evolution, and Leading What Comes Next
In this episode of Spark Sessions, Sonya Locke sits down with Julienne Smith, Head of Americas Growth at Hyatt Hotels Corporation, for a candid conversation about ambition, confidence and the courage to embrace what's next.
From an unexpected start in hotel development to leadership roles at Marriott, Hyatt and IHG, Julienne shares how career setbacks, bold decisions and the people who believed in her helped shape her journey. She opens up about finding her voice in rooms where few women looked like her, learning to lead authentically and balancing a demanding career with marriage, motherhood and the relationships that keep her grounded.
Together, Sonya and Julienne explore why women often wait to be chosen, the power of mentorship and sponsorship, and what it really means to give yourself permission to grow, even when the next step feels uncertain.
It's a conversation about trusting your instincts, redefining success and recognizing that sometimes the greatest growth happens when you're willing to take a chance on yourself.
21 Sept 2026
Beyond the White Coat: Dr. Deb Houry on Purpose, Trust, and Resilience
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In this episode of Spark Sessions, Sonya Locke sits down with Dr. Deb Houry, emergency physician, researcher and former Chief Medical Officer of the CDC, for a conversation about a life dedicated to protecting others.
From treating patients at Grady Memorial Hospital to leading at the highest levels of public health, Deb shares the experiences and challenges that shaped her, the deeply personal decision to leave the CDC after 11 years, and how she found the strength to begin building again.
Together, Sonya and Deb explore resilience, rebuilding trust, the importance of staying grounded in your values, and the people and sources of strength that keep us going through seasons of change.
It's a candid conversation about purpose beyond a title, knowing when to trust yourself, and continuing to serve even when the path forward looks different than you imagined.
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17 Aug 2026
Still Becoming: Athina Marturet on Reinvention, Identity, and the Courage to Begin Again
In this episode of Spark Sessions, Sonya Locke sits down with actress, model, producer, performer, and longtime Miami Symphony ambassador Athina Klioumi de Marturet for a powerful conversation about reinvention, identity, and having the courage to begin again.
From growing up across four countries to becoming the face of Max Factor Latin America, building a career in entertainment, and championing the arts through the Miami Symphony Orchestra, Athina shares how every new chapter shaped the woman she is today.
Together, Sonya and Athina explore the immigrant experience, creativity, partnership, aging with confidence, and why women should never believe it's too late to chase a new dream.
If you've ever wondered whether your best chapter is still ahead of you, this conversation is your reminder that you're never finished becoming.
Who has been a guest on Spark Sessions
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Sherri Foster
Dr Kirsten Guest
Sarrah Rose
Dr Krista Archer
Cheveryn Arnold
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Spotify
5.0 / 5
4 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 38 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
76
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
0
Contact Spark Sessions
Guest appearances
Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Questions about Spark Sessions
Who hosts Spark Sessions?
Sonya Locke host the show. Published by Sonya Locke.
How often do new episodes come out?
The show publishes bi-weekly, based on its RSS feed.
Does Spark Sessions take guests?
Yes. Guests have been identified in episode analyses.
Host of Spark Sessions?
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