Airdrie Inside

In this episode of Airdrie Inside, Chris Glass sits down with Sarah West, founder of West Reformer Pilates . Sarah’s story is a masterclass in the pivot. After AI disruption shifted her career in international editorial, she returned to her roots as "Airdrie Royalty" to build something that couldn't be automated: human connection. From launching a business in nine months to architec...

On June 6th, 2026, Chris Glass and Britton Ledingham hosted the first Airdrie Inside: The Summer Session at Rival Axe Throwing. We brought together seven of our city’s premier artists who represent the heart and soul of the place we call home. 100% of the revenue from this evening went directly back to the artists on stage and the venue that hosted us. Eden Taylor: 2025 Vocalist & Songwriter o...

Welcome to Airdrie Inside . We are the city’s narrative infrastructure—the platform for the builders, weavers, and warriors who form the fabric of Airdrie. In this episode, host Chris Glass sits down with Shamus Neeson, a man of many hats and one singular heart. Shamus is a recruitment manager for Canadian Blood Services, a veteran radio personality, and a foundational member of the Airdrie Arts a...

In this episode of Airdrie Inside, Chris Glass sits down with Dustin Horlacher, founder of Carson and Friends . Five years ago, Dustin’s son Carson sent out birthday invitations and received zero RSVPs. What started as a frustrated post on "Airdrie Dads" transformed within hours into a community-wide movement. Today, Carson and Friends is moving the needle for Autism Calgary, hosting ove...

In this episode of Airdrie Inside, Chris Glass sits down with Kristy McConnell, Registered Psychologist and founder of Off the Beaten Path Psychology & Wellness . Kristy isn't just offering counseling; she is the architect of a movement that takes therapy out from under the fluorescent lights and into the expansive nature of Airdrie. From her roots in special education to pioneering movem...

In this episode, host Chris Glass sits down with Miles Canyon, a songwriter who traded the metal scene of Saskatoon for the "Wild West" opportunity of Airdrie, Alberta. Miles is a story weaver of the highest order—a man whose transition from metal to modern country was fueled by COVID, a Nashville guitar, and a mission of honesty. Miles discusses his unique "Nashville guitar" t...

Welcome to Airdrie Inside . We’re the city’s narrative infrastructure—the platform for the builders, weavers, and warriors who form the fabric of Airdrie. In this episode, host Chris Glass sits down with Chad Moore, the new president of the Airdrie Thunder Junior B Hockey Club and founder of Viper Sports Performance Group. Chad is an Airdrie homegrown hero who is returning to his roots to lead one...

In this episode of Airdrie Inside, Chris Glass sits down with Team Canada heptathlete Sienna MacDonald. Sienna’s journey is a masterclass in the generalist mindset—competing in eight different disciplines where the margin for error is non-existent. From her roots as a George McDougall Mustang to standing on the line hearing her name called alongside Olympians in China and Poland, Sienna has spent...

In this episode of Airdrie Inside, Chris Glass sits down with Bob Wilkie, President of I Got Mind . Bob isn't just a survivor of the Swift Current Broncos 1986 bus crash tragedy; he’s the architect of a new narrative in sports. He’s moving the needle from suffering in silence to a systemic revolution in how we train the minds of our athletes and community leaders. See the Sideways documentary...

In this episode of Airdrie Inside, Chris Glass sits down with Rishav Sharma—Team Canada para-badminton athlete, double gold medalist, and founder of the Rocky View Badminton Academy. Rishav’s story is a masterclass in moving from "doubt" to "gold." From being told he couldn't play in India to training in the back of a shop in Fort St. John, Rishav has spent his life framin...

Celine Simard (Celin) grew up in Fahler, Alta., the "Honey Capital of Canada," but she found her voice in the isolation of a 28-day quarantine. From the Young Canadians to the King Eddie, Celin is part of the creative "explosion" that has transformed Airdrie over the last five years. In this episode, she performs: "14 Days" (The quarantine anthem) "Pray On"...

What does it take to manage 100,000 people and a $500 Million budget? For Horacio Galanti, the answer was found at 8,000 meters in the "Death Zone." In this episode of Airdrie Inside, Chris Glass sits down with Horacio Galanti—Civil Engineer, world-class mountaineer, and the Chief Administrative Officer for the City of Airdrie. Horacio doesn't just "climb mountains" as a h...

 "There comes a time when we need to stop pulling people out of the river and go upstream to find out why they're falling in." Kim Titus didn't just start a foundation to honour her son, Braden; she started a movement to dismantle a broken system. From a personal tragedy that "transfigured" her world to securing over $1M in funding to pilot a new provincial standard o...

She has performed at the Lincoln Center and toured the world, but Tong Wang’s most important stage is a cul-de-sac in Airdrie. As a concert pianist, educator, and co-founder of the Windwood Music Festival, Tong is on a mission to replace the scarcity of elite art with an overflow of community belonging. This is a story about the power of the big open sky, the science of "cute" music, and...

 "We are training people to survive the job physically, but we aren't training them to survive it mentally." Mo Shaukat has seen the worst of humanity as a hostage negotiator and correctional officer at the Edmonton Institution, a maximum security federal institution. He knows that for first responders, silence isn't strength—it's a death sentence. This is the story of how...

The "Champion of the Arts" award isn't for the person who writes the biggest cheque. It's for the person who gives the most of themselves. For Mandi Fusaro—actor, director, playwright, and teacher—that has meant spending nearly a decade in the trenches, building the invisible infrastructure of Airdrie's soul. This is a story about the power of showing up, the ROI of belong...

Most politicians learn how cities work after they're elected. Kristen Shima spent a decade building them from the inside. With a Master's degree in sustainable community development and a resume that includes securing over $225M in investment, Airdrie's newest Councillor isn't just here to govern—she's here to architect. This is a masterclass in "wicked messy problems...

Most people think farming requires hundreds of acres and massive tractors. David Barchard proves you can feed a community with just a few hundred square feet and a lot of heart. After 15 years in the restaurant industry witnessing a broken supply chain, David and his wife Kirstin founded Micro Acres to bring food security back home. This is a story about pivoting when revenue drops 90% overnight,...

Most musicians think they have to choose: the stability of a "real job" or the freedom of the stage. Corbie Dorner chose both. As a beloved band teacher at Bert Church High School and a dueling pianist at Aussie Rules, Corbie lives at the intersection of education and entertainment. This is a story about the grind of the gig, the resilience required to teach music in a parking lot during...

Most politicians follow a standard path: Law school, business, public office. Chad Stewart took the scenic route. From a 26-year career on a manufacturing floor to becoming a firefighter in his 30s, and now pitching horror novels to Hollywood producers—Chad is proof that you don't need a traditional background to be a leader. You just need the courage to "do stuff." Support the show

You can travel the world looking for your sound, but sometimes you have to come home to find it. Brad and Ryan Fleischer (Flaysher) grew up on 90s rock and construction sites. They went to Toronto to chase the music dream, only to realize their true voice was waiting for them back in Alberta, in the cab of a truck. This is a story about brotherhood, the specific power of country music, and how two...

Jeremy had friends winning Oscars for Lord of the Rings ... and they were miserable. They were just one of a thousand people who "worked on Legolas's cape." That realization sent filmmaker Jeremy Pollock on a different path: a mission to tell his own stories, his own way. This is a masterclass for any creative on choosing authorship over accolades and building a world-class career w...

Season 2 of Airdrie Inside kicks off with a bang ad we sit down with a true powerhouse: Airdrie's new Mayor, Heather Spearman. In this exclusive conversation, Chris dives into the questions many of us have been asking since election night. Who is Heather Spearman when the cameras are off? What pulled her toward public service and into the heart of community leadership? And what did the campai...

What if your greatest failure was actually your biggest opportunity? Jo-Anne Yau's life was supposed to go one way: become a doctor. When that dream died, she discovered a more powerful path. From a shy kid in Airdrie's only Chinese family to a powerhouse lawyer and mentor, Jo-Anne shares a masterclass in resilience, the power of an outsider's perspective, and the unapologetic truth...

The "starving artist" is a story we tell ourselves. The "gatekept industry" is a wall waiting to be torn down. Erin Belley walked away from the toxic, old-school tattoo world only to come back and build a new one from the ground up—one that values integrity, safety, and business savvy. This is a masterclass for any creative entrepreneur on how to turn personal struggle into a t...