In this episode, I speak with Anabel Bueno Santana-Dolenc. Anabel shares her unusual story growing up in a politically active family in Dominican Republic, who had to find refuge in the US for many years.  Her background provided the impetus to seek a path that would lead her to serve her country. Her calling was working in the UN and multilateral agencies, managing lending and donation programmes in agriculture at a very young age, and later in development cooperation. Following an assignment as Ambassador for Dominican Republic at the Organisation of American States, she was recently appointed by her country to the UN Tourism Agency in a new role where she will continue to be making a difference. We talk about the role of chance in life, leadership lessons as a young female professional, the importance of  carving out one’s space and reflect on emerging models in South South cooperation.

The book Anabel refers to is From Dessalines to Duvalier: Race, Colour and National Independence in Haiti by David Nicholls, published in 1996.

Recorded on 22 May 2023.

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Connect with Anabel on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/anabel-bueno-santana-dolenc-94253bab.

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In this episode, I speak with Moges Gebremedhin. I’d long wanted to have a longer conversation with Moges after meeting him at an event where he was a panelist and we had a Q&A on his thoughts about the trajectory of East Africa where he grew up, between Ethiopia and Kenya, yet originally from Eritrea. Moges shares his story of multiple identities common to many people in the region, connected by similar challenges yet also divided by complex affiliations and loyalties. We talk about  what factors matter most in the trajectory of development of these countries, the trade-off that can occur between peace and democratic participation, and the devastating impact war can have on any progress these countries have made.

Recorded on 4 January 2024.

Instagram: @at.the.coalface

Connect with Moges on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/moges-gebremedhin.

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In this episode, I speak with Laurie Charlés. Laurie is a family therapist who has taken her expertise to regions in the throes of conflict, violence and fragility - countries where mental health concerns can be dire - yet the resources available to help are rudimentary. She’s helped coach and train the people who support vulnerable groups and victims of gender-based violence in places like DRC, Burundi, Kosovo, Lebanon for Syrian refugees, among so many others... and our conversation made me realise the staggering amount of trauma left in the wake of conflict. We talk about her journey into becoming a therapist, the biases she’s had to overcome and insights from the thousands of hours spent speaking to families.

Recorded on 20 December 2023.

Corrigendum: Laurie attended her first graduate degree for 4.5 years. It is her second graduate degree that took her six years. Laurie also referred to GDZ when she meant  GDR (East Germany).

Instagram: @at.the.coalface

Connect with Laurie on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/laurielcharlesphdlmft.

And don’t forget to subscribe to At the Coalface for new episodes every two weeks.

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In this episode, I speak with Dr Peter Stanbury. Peter has developed a unique expertise over decades of guiding companies, international agencies, governments and civil society organisations on the politics of economic development in emerging markets. He’s helped these organisations design economic activities that take account of local dynamics, such as what happens to social structures when income levels change, how do communities respond and what spillover effects happen. Peter’s work is about effecting change in the real world, based on understanding how it really is, rather than how we wish it to be. His perspective is invaluable in navigating the ethical dilemmas of operating in places with weak governance, where dogma and rules rarely work as a compass.

Recorded on 20 December 2023.

Instagram: @at.the.coalface

Connect with Peter on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/dr-peter-stanbury-0911bb18b/.

And don’t forget to subscribe to At the Coalface for new episodes every two weeks.

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In this episode, I speak with Ernesto Gonzalez. Ernesto shares with me his incredible life trajectory, from modest beginnings in Chile to the inner workings of the UN’s Security Council. Ernesto grew up in poverty, where one pair of shoes had to last for an entire year. His story is one that combines focus and grit with openness to chance encounters - such as the offer to help pay for his stay in the US to learn English, a step that changed his life. I was fascinated by how Ernesto found his way from there into a diplomatic career, then making himself useful to a series of countries in their engagements with the Security Council. Ernesto’s outlook on leadership and life is refreshingly optimistic, and I hope you’ll enjoy his inspiring words as much as I did.

Recorded on 18 December 2023.

Instagram: @at.the.coalface

Connect with Ernesto on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/ernesto-gonzalez-77a53833.

And don’t forget to subscribe to At the Coalface for new episodes every two weeks.

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In this episode, I speak with Monica Smith. Monica shares how her upbringing in a family that moved frequently across the US and her experience of travelling and living abroad early on shaped her outlook on the world and softened her philosophical principles.  She talks about her career in the corporate world, her approach to succeeding in hierarchies and  lessons in global leadership as she helped her organisations tap into talent in India and China. She reflects on the importance of lifelong learning, service and setting boundaries. We talk about her transition into coaching an  how she guides her clients in restoring alignment with themselves.

Recorded on 15 December 2023.

Instagram: @at.the.coalface

Connect with Monica on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/monica-smith-07219932.

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, early access to episodes and my deep gratitude!

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In this episode, I speak with Josy Joseph. Josy is proudly Indian, an acclaimed investigative journalist who uncovered a series of major corruption stories that have exposed systemic issues plaguing the very fabric of India’s democracy. In this conversation, we talk about the origin of the West’s romantic narrative of India, and how this vision is blinding many of us to dangerous  faultlines that are appearing. We talk about Josy’s concern with the direction India is taking. We reflect on the challenges facing storytellers in India in reaching a domestic audience. I’m amazed by how Josy’s optimism still shines through despite all the censorship, threats and pressures:  a powerful lesson in resilience and perseverance.

Recorded on 17 November 2023.

Instagram: @at.the.coalface

Connect with Josy on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/josy-joseph-73359b8/ and through his website josyjoseph.in.

And don’t forget to subscribe to At the Coalface for new episodes every two weeks.

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In this episode, I speak with Jeffrey Fang. This is a bit of a different conversation today. Jeff is an accomplished corporate professional from Singapore, who decided to break away from the logical professional path of corporate promotions and step out to follow a path much more aligned to who he wanted to be and what his intuition was telling him. In this rather personal exchange, we explore how our upbringing and culture shaped our vision of what matters in life - chasing validation and achievements that are not always healthy, and then what it took to wake up to get in touch with ourselves.

The monastery Jeff mentions is the San Francesco Convent in Fiesole (Wiki).

Recorded on 10 November 2023.

Instagram: @at.the.coalface

Connect with Jeff on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/jfangjj and on Instagram @jfstop.

And don’t forget to subscribe to At the Coalface for new episodes every two weeks.

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In this episode, I speak with Alexandra Vitard. Alexandra talks about the influence her multicultural, globetrotting background had on her life, and what happened when she came face to face with the realisation of what living with privilege meant. She shares how she brought the insights and skills honed in her early career in government to women who needed them. She was inspired by Nasim Taleb’s ideas on the power of being anti-fragile (as opposed to being just resilient). Her encounter with stoicism helped cement the rules she aspired to follow in life: helping others, being truthful and speaking up. She reflects on how the little things we do can have a huge impact on the lives of others around us, providing the inspiration to break beyond imaginary mental barriers and to just dare.

Recorded on 6 October 2023.

Instagram: @at.the.coalface

Connect with Alexandra on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/alexandravitard and on Instagram @alexandravitard.

And don’t forget to subscribe to At the Coalface for new episodes every two weeks.

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In this episode, I speak with Alicia Pérez-Porro. Alicia is a a scientist working in the space of climate diplomacy. She trained as a marine biologist researching sponges, but her heart wasn’t really in research. A life-changing journey to Antarctica helped her discover her passion in science activism. We speak about her childhood connection with nature and the importance of role models in opening perspectives and helping with self acceptance. We both express our conviction that our connection with nature - and deeply grasping how we humans are part of nature, is central in solving today’s climate and biodiversity crises. I hope this conversation inspires you to become an activist too!

Recorded on 18 September 2023.

Instagram: @at.the.coalface

Connect with Alicia on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/aliciaperezporro and on X (Twitter) @aliciaprzporro.

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, early access to episodes and my deep gratitude!

Support the show