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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
36 episodes
#034 What I Learned: One Year of Sharing Alaskan Stories - Manny Coelho
One year ago, on Seward’s Day, I launched The State I Am In with a simple idea: Alaska is full of incredible people, and their stories deserve to be heard.A year later, that belief has only grown stronger.In this solo epi...
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10:34
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#033 Iditarod Explained: The State of the Last Great Race - Robert Forto
What does the Iditarod sled-dog race look like in 2026—and where is it headed?In this episode of The State I Am In, Manny sits down with longtime musher, media voice, and publisher Robert Forto to explore the evolving world of d...
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56:21
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#032 Part 2: Metabolic Mastery - Dr. Bob Ledda
Discover the inspiring stories and expert insights from Dr. Bob Ledda, blending health science, outdoor adventures, and spiritual purpose. A key theme in this part 2 episode is Dr. Bob's observations with his son's recent type 1 diabetes ...
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1:08:00
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#031 Part 1: From Flyrods to Float Planes - Dr. Bob Ledda
In the first return guest episode of the podcast, this conversation with Dr. Bob Ledda, we dive deeper into the worlds of health, wilderness, and the mindset that connects them. What starts with a powerful story about helping his son navigate T...
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1:37:58
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#030 Fate of the Starving Artist & Rise of Her Empire - AnnMarie Henderson
In this episode, Alaska-based artist AnnMarie Henderson shares her inspiring journey from Texas to Alaska, how she turned her passion into a thriving 6-figure full-time business, and her unique approach to landscape painting, music-inspired pos...
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1:45:58
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#029 Perspective: Reframing Your Story - Manny Coelho
Over the last few conversations, one theme keeps rising to the surface: perspective. From reclaiming cultural identity, to rebuilding after divorce, to redefining dreams after paralysis, the stories shared by Nikki Corbett, Delana G...
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26:56
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#028 Dissonance & Harmony: Rewriting the Score After Paralysis - Clare Henry
Most stories of resilience are inspiring, but Clare Henry’s journey might just redefine what you think is possible. At only 18, she faced a devastating spinal cord stroke that left her paralyzed from the chest down — but her response? Pure dete...
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2:03:45
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#027 Lifted Up: Where Dogs & Dreams Take Flight - Jake Long
In this episode, we explore Jake Long’s adventurous path from growing up in Minnesota skating to becoming a passionate Alaskan paragliding pilot and dog owner. His story highlights the thrill of extreme sports, resilience after an accident, and...
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1:33:08
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#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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