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The State I Am In
Welcome to The State I Am In, a podcast that amplifies the voices and stories of Alaskans, hosted by fellow Alaskan, Manny Coelho. Each week, we dive deep with hunters, aurora chasers, athletes, entrepreneurs, elected leaders, and everyday heroes to explore the topics that matter most in the Last Frontier. Through engaging conversations, we uncover insights, gain practical tools for daily life, and strengthen our connection to this incredible place we call home.
Expect long-form interviews, monthly solo episodes, and a chance to shape the conversation.
Subscribe now to join the journey and celebrate the people and stories that make Alaska unique.
Episodes
28 episodes
#026 More Than Music: A Guide to Unlocking Childhood Potential - Delana Green
My guest today is Delana Green, a lifelong Alaskan from the Kenai Peninsula, musician, educator, and founder of Greenhouse Music. She’s also a podcaster and creator who has built a YouTube channel wi...
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1:49:54
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#025 Influencer? Leadership is Influence - Manny Coelho
After a coworker jokingly called me an “influencer,” I found myself reflecting on why that word makes me cringe—and why influence still matters. In this solo episode, I unpack the difference between chasing attention and leading wit...
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25:30
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#024 Sew Yup'ik: Story Behind the Stitches - Nikki Corbett
In this episode of The State I Am In, I sit down with an Alaska artist and respected indigenous voice, Nikki Corbett, the creator behind Sew Yup’ik. Nikki grew up in Bethel, Alaska, in a childhood marked by both deep cultur...
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1:32:50
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#023 Escaping the Cave: Sexual Addiction, Recovery & Life Beyond - Logan Hufford
Sexual addiction is often discussed in whispers—or not at all. In this episode, Logan Hufford shares what it’s actually like to live inside it, and what it takes to begin climbing out.Logan grew up in Anchorage and spent years living a d...
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1:53:32
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#022 Animal Rescue & Limits of the Law - Megan Merritt
What happens when the responsibility to care for animals collides with gaps in the law?In this episode of The State I Am In, Manny sits down with Megan Merritt, founder of Homebound Farm & Rescue in Sterling, Alaska. A lifel...
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1:23:03
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#021 From What If? to What's Next? - Manny Coelho
This is the final episode of 2025 — it’s just me.In this solo episode, I reflect on the first nine months of The State I Am In: what started as a simple “what if” has grown into real conversations with remarkable Alaskans, unexp...
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19:44
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#020 Beyond the Bear: Part 2 - Tyler Johnson
In Part Two of this wide-ranging conversation, Manny finishes his conversation with Tyler Johnson for a story that takes an unexpected and unforgettable turn.After surviving a life-or-death grizzly bear attack, Tyler shares another wild ...
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36:18
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#019 Beyond the Bear: Part 1 - Tyler Johnson
Tyler Johnson grew up in Sterling, Alaska, raised in the outdoors alongside his dad, a longtime game warden. Hunting, fishing, hiking, and navigating wild places weren’t just pastimes — they were normal to life on the Kenai Peninsula.In ...
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2:04:58
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#018 Stop Alaskan Trawler Bycatch - David Bayes
In this episode, Manny sits down with David Bayes, a lifelong Alaskan fisherman, charter captain, and one of the most visible leaders in the movement to reform Alaska’s trawl bycatch system. David grew up in Homer, spent more than two decades w...
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1:11:18
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#017 Money Mindset for Every Alaskan - Chad Hufford
My guest today is Chad Hufford; Financial planner, founder of Veritas Wealth Management in Anchorage, author of Forging Financial Freedom, and host of The Blue Collar Millionaire Show. Chad is a lifelong Alaskan whose approach...
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1:13:41
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#016 4T% Ranch: Cold Hard Cattle - Ben Adams
In this episode I sit down with Ben Adams, owner and operator of 4T% Ranch in Soldotna, Alaska, to talk about the work, the cost, and the conviction behind one of the wildest modern ranching stories I have ever heard. Ben grew up poor ...
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1:43:42
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#015 Jiu-jitsu in AK: Finding confidence & community on the mat - Jordan Kontra
In this episode, I sit down with Jordan Kontra, 3rd degree black belt, owner of Holdfast Grappling in Homer, AK, and co-owner of Southside Jiu-Jitsu Academy in Anchorage. Jordan shares his journey from early influences in wrestling to becoming ...
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1:26:08
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#014 Alaska Day: Then & Now
Alaska Day marks the moment the American flag replaced the Russian one in Sitka — a turning point in our state’s story. But over 150 years later, what does that really mean for those of us who call this place home? In this bonus episode, ...
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7:07
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#013 The Space Between Red & Blue - Manny Coelho
In this episode, Manny reflects on what it means to live and think in the middle — that quiet space between red and blue where real conversation still has a chance. After watching local elections play out across Alask...
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20:05
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#012 Warflower - Robert Stark
In this episode of The State I Am In, I sit down with Alaskan author, veteran, and homesteader Bob Stark. Bob’s story takes us from the wide-open beaches of Nome, to life in Eagle River and Seward, to the battlefields of Iraq as an air...
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2:12:03
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#011 Keep North - Manny Coelho
In this solo episode of The State I Am In, I dive into the meaning behind a phrase I’ve recently started using to close out every show: Keep North. At first, it seemed like the perfect tagline for an Alaska-based podcast, but ...
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19:07
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#010 Relentless Pursuit of a Dream - Bridgett Watkins
In this episode of The State I Am In, I sit down with Bridgett Watkins — Alaskan musher, ER nurse, wife, mother, and author of Marker to Marker. Bridgett takes us deep into her journey from childhood races in Fairbanks to surv...
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1:29:48
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#009 Landslide Risk in Alaska: What You Need to Know - Dr. Bretwood "Hig" Higman
In this episode of The State I Am In, I talk with Dr. Bretwood “Hig” Higman—geologist, lifelong Alaskan, and founder of Ground Truth Alaska—about life, land, and the very real risks facing our coastal communities. We explor...
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1:12:18
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#008 Trawling & Bycatch: Two Words Every Alaskan Should Know - Ryan Astalos and Jackie Boyer from SalmonState
In this eye-opening episode of The State I Am In, I’m joined by Ryan Astalos and Jackie Boyer from SalmonState to break down one of the most urgent issues facing Alaska today: industrial trawling and the devastating impact of bycatch. ...
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1:10:01
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#007 Landmark Collective - Amanda Bowles
In this special virtual episode of The State I Am In, I sit down with Amanda Bowles, the driving force behind Landmark Collective—a powerful community of women entrepreneurs based in the Mat-Su Valley. We dive into how these w...
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1:12:36
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#006 Success, Failure, & Youth Sports
In this episode of The State I Am In, I speak not just as a parent, but as a coach and former Little Leaguer myself. From hitting my first home run to striking out with the game on the line, I share personal stories that shaped how I v...
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40:09
#005 Alaska Blade Studio - Zeke Johnston
Alaskan bladesmith Zeke Johnston joins me to talk about the craft of hand-forging knives and what makes a blade more than just a tool. We explore the heirloom value of a well-made knife, the stories it can carry, and how the forging process mir...
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2:04:12
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#004 Faith, Doubt, & Belonging - Pastor Frank Alioto
In this episode, I sit down with Pastor & Chaplain Frank Alioto for a candid conversation about the role of the church in today’s world. We talk about the purpose of gathering, what might hold someone back from faith in God or stepping into...
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1:20:36
#003 Parenting In The Digital Age - Lt. Ryan Browning
In this episode of The State I Am In, Lieutenant Ryan Browning of the Homer Police Department joins us for one of the most important conversations we’ve had on the show. We discuss the real-life events that led him to champion digital ...
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1:20:12
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