Donna Hyland is retiring. The visionary pediatric healthcare leader has dedicated the last 40 years of her professional career to prioritizing and determining how best to meet the healthcare needs of children. But now it’s a new chapter for the trained accountant who has served as the CEO of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta since 2008. Hyland joins “Closer Look” to discuss the successes and challenges of her career and to talk more about what’s next for her in retirement.

Then, Head of Meredyth Cole shares the impact she’s seen at The Lovett School since placing a ban on cell phones for students during the school year. Their rule went into place a year before Governor Brian Kemp signed the requirement for students in kindergarten through 8th grade. Now, starting in the 2027 – 2028 school year, the so-called “bell-to-bell” rule will also apply to high school students. In addition to sharing how she’s seen focus, sleep and socializing improve, Cole also shares how The Lovett School addresses the concern of how parents and students can communicate during an emergency.

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Erica Payton fell in love with the game of golf when she was about three or four years old. It’s in her DNA. The lifelong golf player was recently named the head coach of Clark Atlanta University’s first-ever women’s golf team, the school’s 11th NCAA varsity sport. This new opportunity comes as data reveals a growing number of women and girls are playing golf, a 45% increase since 2020, according to the National Golf Foundation. As a featured guest on “Closer Look,” Payton talks with host Rose Scott about her passion for the sport, why she accepted the coaching job at CAU and her top priorities ahead of the inaugural season.

Also on today’s show, we meet two young Atlanta entrepreneurs who are participating in the city’s Youth Entrepreneurship Accelerator Program through Showcase Atlanta. We meet Devin Mitchell, the founder and CEO of SOKA, a soccer streetwear brand and Jase Kurtz, who is the founder of Jase’s Lemonade. Joined by Kelsey Maynor, the Director of Small Business for Showcase Atlanta, we learn about the mentorship, funding, and vending opportunities they’re receiving through the program and how they’re watching their businesses grow. Maynor also encouraged anyone who is interested in the program to visit the city’s website for the Youth Entrepreneurship Accelerator Program.

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On Thursday’s Closer Look with Rose Scott, Supervising Producer Tiffany Griffith introduces you to Elliot Hefty. After enduring several transphobic attacks, he left the U.S. in 2025 to seek asylum in The Netherlands. He’s one of the 45% of transgender Americans who wish to leave the country or have already made plans to. We also hear from officials with The Williams Institute at UCLA, Rainbow Railroad, and the Human Rights Campaign about how life has become unsafe for the trans community in America, and how many are attempting to escape it.

Then, we’re joined by Emory University Economist Tom Smith and Decatur City Manager Andrea Arnold as they discuss the economic impact of the World Cup on Atlanta’s neighboring city. We learn that Decatur could see anywhere from $6 million to $142 million in economic activity as they host watch parties and introduce visitors to local dining, shopping, and entertainment.

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