At the Coalface

In this episode, I sit down with David Browne, a former USAID Foreign Service Officer whose career has taken him from Bolivia and Bangladesh to the West Bank, Uganda, and now back home to local government in North Carolina.
David reflects on growing up between India and the United States, never quite fitting neatly into a single cultural identity, and how those early experiences shaped his lifelong curiosity about people, cultures, and the wider world. He shares how music, poetry, and an unexpected journey into international development helped him make sense of belonging and purpose.
We explore the realities of serving overseas through moments of profound uncertainty, from the Arab Spring to COVID-19, and the leadership lessons he learned about trust, inclusion, and empowering others. Along the way, David reflects on what it means to build community, continually reinvent yourself, and remain open to new experiences long after your career path seems set.
Ultimately, this is a conversation about identity, curiosity, and discovering that home is often found not in a place, but in the people who help us become who we are. 
Recorded on 6 August 2026.
Connect with David on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/david-browne-cpa-cgfm. His music is available on YouTube.
Instagram: @at.the.coalface
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In this episode, I sit down with Rob (Mark) Nelson, a pharmacist and lifelong student of languages, culture, and global affairs.
Mark reflects on growing up in New Mexico, where a rich blend of cultures, languages, and family influences first sparked his curiosity about the wider world. He shares how formative experiences in Mexico deepened his appreciation for cultural understanding and reinforced the importance of meeting people where they are.
We explore his journey into pharmacy, the lessons he has learned about service, trust, and compassion through caring for patients, and how his faith has shaped his understanding of leadership and responsibility. Along the way, we discuss the role of healthcare in building bridges across divides, the challenge of rebuilding trust in an increasingly polarised world, and his ongoing search for ways to combine his medical background with a growing commitment to international affairs.
Ultimately, this is a conversation about curiosity, empathy, and discovering that meaningful service is defined less by the title we hold than by the way we choose to care for others.
Recorded on 5 August 2026.
Connect with Mark on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/robert-mark-nelson.
Instagram: @at.the.coalface
And don’t forget to subscribe to At the Coalface for new episodes every two weeks.

Help us produce more episodes by becoming a supporter. Your subscription will go towards paying our hosting and production costs. Supporters get the opportunity to join behind the scenes during recordings, updates about the podcast, and my deep gratitude!
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In this episode, I sit down with Perry Boyle for the second time, two years after our first conversation about his efforts to build Ukraine's domestic defence industry. Much has changed since then, with Ukraine emerging as one of the world's most innovative defence ecosystems and developing technologies that other countries are increasingly looking to learn from.
Perry reflects on how this transformation has changed his own perspective, and how MITS Capital has evolved alongside it. We explore the rapidly changing nature of warfare, from drones and autonomous systems to counter-drone technology, missile defence, and the growing importance of industrial capacity and resilient supply chains.
We also discuss what Perry sees as the three interconnected wars being fought around Ukraine: the war on the battlefield, the broader confrontation between democracy and autocracy, and the struggle to transform Ukraine itself. Finally, Perry reflects on what the past two years have taught him personally about purpose, agency, and the power of an outsider to make a difference.
Ultimately, this is a conversation about how a once-contrarian idea became reality, and what it means to keep adapting when the world around you is changing faster than expected.
Recorded on 13 August 2026.
Connect with Perry on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/perryboyle.
Instagram: @at.the.coalface
And don’t forget to subscribe to At the Coalface for new episodes every two weeks.

Help us produce more episodes by becoming a supporter. Your subscription will go towards paying our hosting and production costs. Supporters get the opportunity to join behind the scenes during recordings, updates about the podcast, and my deep gratitude!
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In this episode, Siri and I sit down with Carolina L., an Argentinian economist and humanitarian whose career with the United Nations took her from New York to East Timor and Iraq. Carolina reflects on the experiences that first drew her to international affairs, her fascination with diplomacy, and the sense of purpose she found working in some of the world's most challenging environments.

Carolina shares her memories of helping rebuild East Timor following its independence, the relationships she formed there, and meeting her partner, Sergio Vieira de Mello. She describes their shared commitment to peacebuilding and public service, and the optimism that sustained them through complex international missions.

We also talk about the 2003 bombing of the UN headquarters in Baghdad, in which Sergio and 21 of Carolina's colleagues were killed, and the long journey that followed. Carolina reflects with remarkable honesty on grief, rebuilding a life after profound loss, finding meaning through Viktor Frankl's work, and carrying Sergio's legacy forward through mentorship and service.

Recorded on 12 April 2022, with new introduction recorded in July 2026.

Instagram: @at.the.coalface

Connect with Carolina on Instagram @carolina.larriera. Centro Sergio Vieira de Mello (sergiovieirademello.org) aims to keep Sergio's legacy alive by bringing diplomatic skills to Brazil's underprivileged youth.

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In this episode, I sit down with Tyson Johnson, a leader whose career has spanned intelligence, enterprise risk, cybersecurity, digital transformation, and artificial intelligence.
Tyson reflects on the conversations around his family's dinner table, the influence of his World War II veteran grandfather, and the curiosity that first led him to explore how the world works. He shares how a career that began in intelligence gradually evolved into a broader quest to understand risk, organisations, and leadership.
We explore the transition from being a subject matter expert to leading through collaboration, the mentors who transformed his approach, and why he believes curiosity and lifelong learning are among the most important qualities a leader can cultivate.
Finally, we discuss how AI, geopolitics, and increasing global uncertainty are reshaping the way organisations make decisions, and why Tyson believes the greatest challenge ahead is not technological, but fundamentally one of leadership.
Recorded on 4 August 2026.
Connect with Tyson on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/tyson-johnson-ma-84b8375/.
Instagram: @at.the.coalface
And don’t forget to subscribe to At the Coalface for new episodes every two weeks.

Help us produce more episodes by becoming a supporter. Your subscription will go towards paying our hosting and production costs. Supporters get the opportunity to join behind the scenes during recordings, updates about the podcast, and my deep gratitude!
Support the show