At the Coalface

In this episode, I speak with Emma N’Gouan Anoh. Emma shares her journey and insights as a seasoned development professional currently working at the UNDP in Djibouti. Emma traces the pull she felt towards development to conversations with her father when noticing the jarring inequalities in her home country of Ivory Coast. In our conversation, we discuss what stakeholder participation means in practice and the ingredients for realising positive outcomes in deep partnership with local institutions.Recorded on 30 September and on 10 December 2024.Connect with Emma on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/emma-n%E2%80%99gouan-anoh-373843169/.Instagram: @at.the.coalfaceAnd 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

In this episode, I speak with Dylan Monaghan, engineer, pilot, linguist, digital nomad, and author of Singlethreading. Dylan’s life is a study in reinvention: from a childhood in the Virgin Islands to an elite school in White Plains, from the discipline of the U.S. Air Force to the creative freedom of Japan. His story moves across cultures and identities, and somehow he has stitched these chapters into a coherent, deeply intentional way of living.We discuss the interplay between discipline and curiosity, and Dylan’s awakening to the idea that you are not your brain. He explains how the autonomous parts of the mind can be retrained and rewired, reshaping our perception of the world itself.We end with a reflection on identity, legacy, and what remains when all the titles labels fall away.Recorded on 9 October 2025.Connect with Dylan on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/dylanmonaghan. Dylan's book, Singlethreading, is available on Amazon: amazon.com/Singlethreading-Just-Thing-Doing-More/dp/1961513013.Instagram: @at.the.coalfaceAnd 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

In this episode, I speak with Fredrik Norman, whose story captures Norway’s remarkable transformation, from a country built on fishing to one where new generations could freely choose their path.We spoke about navigating career choices in a rapidly changing economy, and Fredrik’s journey through the energy industry, a path we both share, before he moved into public service.We also touched on marriage in a two-career household, and how identity evolves as work and family life intersect. Outside of work, Fredrik is an extreme cyclist, finding balance and focus on long, demanding rides that take him far beyond the office.This is a thoughtful conversation about values, change and continuity.Recorded on 28 August 2025.Connect with Fredrik on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/fredriknorman.Instagram: @at.the.coalfaceAnd 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

In this episode, I speak with Nicodemus Ajak Bior, a former child soldier from South Sudan who defied unimaginable odds to become a scholar, public servant, and advocate for transparency.At just eight years old, Nicodemus was taken by rebels and thrust into a world of survival, separation, and loss. His escape, walking over hundreds of kilometres barefoot through war zones and jungles, marks the beginning of a story that is both harrowing and inspiring.From makeshift schools under trees in refugee camps to earning a degree at the Fletcher School, Nicodemus’s journey is one of profound resilience, human connection, and the power of education to transform lives.We talk about what it means to survive and rebuild, how hope persists even in the darkest places, and how leadership is forged by perseverance.Recorded on 26 August 2025.Connect with Nicodemus on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/nicodemus-a-bior-0948b291/.Instagram: @at.the.coalfaceAnd 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

In this episode, I speak with Professor Michael Klein, founder and co-editor of EconoFact and Professor of Economics at The Fletcher School. Michael has served as Chief Economist in the U.S. Treasury and as a visiting scholar at the Federal Reserve and the IMF.We discuss how sound economic analysis can cut through noise and polarization, and why clear communication of facts is critical for better policy. We talk about the motivation behind EconoFact, and how it helps bridge the gap between academic research and public understanding, offering accessible, evidence-based insights on today’s most debated economic issues. This conversation explores the intersection of economics, policy, and public trust, and what it takes to communicate complexity with honesty and clarity in an age of information overload.Recorded on 10 September 2025.Connect with Michael on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/michael-klein-5979431 and at Econofact.org.Instagram: @at.the.coalfaceAnd 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