In this episode of the Sustainable Ambassador Podcast, we speak with Blair Glencorse, founder and co-CEO of the Accountability Lab, about their research to measure the impact of USAID's closure.

With over 800 NGOs surveyed, their research seeks to understand the immediate and long-term impacts, and in this conversation, Blair shares what the data reveals about financial vulnerability, sector-wide reliance on aid, the structural weaknesses exposed by this shift, and the urgent need for resilience and adaptation across civil society.

Click here for the full report: https://www.globalaidfreeze.com/

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In this episode, we speak with Veronica Lee, who shares insights of USAID's mission, impact, and closure.

A 15 year veteran of the organization, Victoria discusses her path into international development, the critical role USAID plays in global soft power and development assistance, and the detailed processes behind the agency's operations.

She candidly addresses the recent events surrounding USAID's closure, reflecting on the immediate and long-term impacts on global communities and partners.

Victoria also opens up about her personal experience navigating this significant transition in her professional life.

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In this episode of the Sustainable Ambassador Podcast, I sit down with Jaime de Bourbon de Parme, Climate Envoy for the Netherlands to speak about the work of a climate envoy

We explore the critical role of climate diplomacy in today’s shifting geopolitical landscape—from translating science into action to brokering climate finance and empowering local solutions.

Jaime shares how he navigates resistance, builds global coalitions, and why he believes everyone can contribute to the climate agenda—regardless of background.

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In this episode of the Sustainable Ambassador Podcast, we speaks with Pritha Hariram, iPAC Director for Water Infrastructure and Climate Adaptation at Ramboll, about the complex challenges and opportunities surrounding global water resilience and climate smart cities.

Drawing on her 23 years of experience across nonprofit, multilateral, corporate, and consulting sectors, Pritha highlights the urgency of the water crisis, the importance of financing and stakeholder collaboration, and the essential role that empathy and on-the-ground experience play in delivering sustainable, impactful solutions.

She also offers valuable advice to young professionals entering the water space, emphasizing curiosity, flexibility, and a willingness to learn continuously.

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In this episode, we speak with Madhu Marasini, Secretary at Nepal’s National Planning Commission, about his work to support Nepal's path to economic and climate security.

Through our conversation, Madhu explains how, as one of the world's most climate-vulnerable countries in the world, Nepal seeks to integrate Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), climate change policies, and international partnerships into its planning and budgeting processes.

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In this episode, we speak with Martina Igini, Editor-in-Chief of Earth.org, about her journey into a career in climate journalism, the unique volunteer-based model at Earth.org, and the challenges of covering climate and environmental news.

Martina sheds light on how she coordinates a global network of more than 400 contributors, balances editorial quality and content variety, and navigates fundraising in an era where journalism itself faces financial hurdles.

She also offers practical tips for aspiring environmental journalists, emphasizing the importance of storytelling, networking, and staying hopeful amidst the complexity of climate reporting.

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In this episode of The Sustainable Ambassador Podcast, we speaks with Sanushka Mudlair, Director of the Red Cross Red Crescent Global Migration Lab, about the work they are doing to better align policies and programs to support safer pathways for migrants.

As part of our conversation, we speak about the complexities of global migration, the importance of understanding migrants’ lived experiences, and the ways in which humanitarian organizations like the Red Cross can better align programs and policies.

Sanushka shares insights on how qualitative data collection reveals deeper human stories behind migration statistics, underscores the need for humanitarian neutrality amid politicized migration debates, and illustrates how climate change acts as a multiplier of existing inequalities.

She also reflects on her own journey—from childhood experiences shaped by social justice movements to her current work leading cutting-edge research in one of the world’s largest humanitarian networks.

Finally, she offers practical career advice for students and aspiring professionals looking to enter her space, emphasizing relationship-building, adaptability, and a willingness to learn from the people and communities directly affected.

Timestamps:

00:00 – Opening & Introduction

01:22 – The Scale & Nature of Global Migration

03:49 – Climate Change & Systemic Gaps

08:01 – Inside the Global Migration Lab

12:26 – Research Methodology & Field Engagement

16:07 – Sanushka’s Personal Journey & Career Path

19:54 – Field vs. Policy Realities

24:27 – Being a “Scrappy Startup” in a Large Institution

29:00 – Advice for Aspiring Professionals

About Sanushka

Sanushka Mudaliar has over 20 years of experience in working in Australia, China, Singapore and the U.K on policy advocacy, research and global program management related to migration.

Sanushka has worked for Oxfam Australia, the Association for Women's Rights in Development and the Lien Centre for Social Innovation at Singapore Management University, and as a specialist consultant on labour migration and human rights advising United Nations bodies (ILO, IOM, UN Women), and regional intergovernmental bodies (African Union, ASEAN) amongst others.

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In this episode, we speak with Christine Goulay, a sustainable innovation expert, about her recent report on next-generation materials and sustainable fashion.

It is a report, and conversation, that brings to light some of the key challenges of scaling sustainable solutions and provides practical advice for how innovators can learn to pitch better, corporates can learn to better align with innovators, and through new models of collaboration, scale can be achieved.

If you’ve ever wondered how new materials move from idea to mainstream—or how to champion sustainability inside a brand—this episode is packed with practical tips and real-world lessons.

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