Modern Idealist
Episodes
Nobel Peace Center Special: Humanity in the Digital Age with Pardis Shafafi
31 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Recorded at the Nobel Peace Center during Oslo Innovation Week for the Peace of Mind Podcast series, this Modern Idealist episode explores how humanit...
S2 Ep3: Climate tech ventures, corporate sustainability, and personal responsibility with Sophie Bruusgaard Jewett
04 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this conversation, Sophie, co-founder and CEO of Morescope, shares her journey into the climate action space, discussing her background, the import...
S2 Ep2: Decolonizing minds and unpacking cultural narratives
16 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this conversation, we're joined by our guest, Sahibzada Mayed (they/them), where they discuss their journey as a first-generation immigrant and the...
S2 EP1: From mid-life crisis to mid-life clarity and new life chapters
01 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of the Modern Idealist Podcast, hosts Valerie and Meryn reconnect after a hiatus, sharing personal updates and reflections on motherho...
EP 35: The importance of unifying social innovation and responsible AI with Samira Khan
09 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Join us as Samira Khan, a seasoned expert from Salesforce and Microsoft, delves into the essential fusion of social innovation and responsible AI. Sam...
Ep 34: Disparity of the Rich and the Commons
24 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
As of 2021, the top 1% of households in the United States held 32.3% of the country's wealth, while the bottom 50% held just 2.6%. Additionally, t...
Ep 33: Shared spaces, shared problems: the tragedy of the commons
18 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Valerie and Meryn's take on the tragedy of the commons. In a world of free markets (with good intentions), we've gotten so competitive that we...
EP 32: Sustainability Reporting: The Wins and Challenges in the Emerging Field with Petter Reistad
15 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Petter Reistad CEO and co-founder of Celsia, a sustainability management and reporting software company aiming to make regulatory sustainability repor...
EP 31: Embracing Otherness to effect change with Dennis Yao Yu
07 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this captivating installment, we sat down for a chat with Dennis Yao Yu, a true champion for diversity and a fervent advocate for highlighting mino...
EP 30: Data-driven Social Impact and Realities of Development Work with Tony Senanayake
17 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome back to another episode of Modern Idealist, a podcast for career driven professionals striving to make an impact in today’s fast paced socie...
EP 29: Crossing Borders: Work, Relationships, and Dating - Norway Edition
20 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Suggested: Listen on 1.2x! Welcome back to another exciting episode, where we delve into the raw and honest experiences of individuals living and work...
EP 28: ESG to GSE for Greater Impact
05 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Rethinking Sustainable Finance with Rodolphe Bocquet In this thought-provoking episode, we sit down with Rodolphe Bocquet, a distinguished sustainable...
EP 27: Unveiling Industrial Sustainability and Aluminum Challenges, Opportunities, and Fair Trade with Bjørn Kjetil Mauritzen
13 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Valerie meets up with Bjørn Kjetil Mauritzen, Head of Sustainability from Hydro, a Norwegian aluminum and renewable energy company. It is also one of...
EP 26: Calling Out Our Own Hypocrisy
24 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Meryn and Valerie reunite on air after a brief hiatus caused by Meryn's loss of voice due to illness. While Valerie has been traversing the states, fr...
EP 25: Corporate Activism, Climate Anxiety and the Expansion of Human Consciousness with Verel Rodrigues
05 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of the Modern Idealist Podcast, we sit down with Verel Rodrigues, a climate activist, engineer and environmental campaigner to hear hi...
EP 24: Interlinkages of Sustainability, Linkedin Posers, and 30's Single Life Dilemmas
20 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Back with some life updates and sustainability and social responsibility rants. Valerie talks about the complexity and interlinkages of sustainability...
EP 23: Influencing Workplace Diversity with Data and Storytelling with Vikram Shetty
04 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we focus on content for DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) specialists and professionals, and our guest Vikram walks us through a...
EP 22: Can Companies Really Care? How Corporates Can Take Responsibility on DEI with Laura Smith
10 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Laura Smith is an American based in Helsinki and is an organizational researcher and founder of VALIDEI, a research agency specializing in the assessm...
Ep 21: The Untold Story of Sustainability Consulting with Georgia Elliott-Smith
22 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We had the pleasure of hosting our dynamic guest speaker, Georgia Elliott-Smith, Element Four's Managing Director. In this episode, we explore the hid...
EP 20: Modern Idealists Take on LinkedIn’s Bold Prediction for 2023
02 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is part 2 of our last episode. In the second part, we're going macro, we’re also going to give our thoughts and reflections on some of ...
EP 19: Time off, Life Updates, Relationships and Swinging Big in 2023
27 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Happy 2023! We're finally back in O-Town in Norway! After a festive and restful holiday season, we feel energized and excited to share with you some r...
EP 18: Pioneering a New Vision on The Future Global Workforce
14 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to Episode 18 on 'Reimagining the global workforce through diversity.' A couple of episodes ago, we dropped a hint about Meryn’s new v...
EP 17: A World View of Hope with Daniel Roth on Centered Wellbeing, Healthy Masculinity, and Ancestral Healing in a Traumatized Society
17 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today we sit down for a heartfelt and unfeigned talk with Daniel Roth, founder of JumpScale, a company that focuses on sustainably scaling companies t...
EP 16: ESG vs Sustainability and Our Own Positive Impact Levers
21 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It’s been a wild ride for us in the past couple of months so we’re bringing you a double episode special over a glass of wine or two to give you...
Ep 15: Diversity Talks, Social Impact, and Life Updates
21 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It’s been a wild ride for us in the past couple of months so we’re bringing you a double episode special over a glass of wine or two to give...
Ep 14: Deep Self-Care as a Secret Weapon for Changemakers and Entrepreneurs with Bonnie Coberly
02 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today's episode starts with a Mindful Arrival, facilitated by our wonderful guest speaker, Bonnie Coberly. The perfect start for those who are back in...
Ep 13: Aligning Personal And Organizational Values With Eivind Fliflet
03 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This week's guest Eivind Fliflet took a break from parental leave (when we recorded this episode in May 2022) to talk with us about what it's like wor...
Ep 12: Responsible Travelling Dilemmas In Our Modern Globalized Society - Dominate English Language, Disneysation of Towns, and Fly Shame
20 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Are you travelling this summer? Now that many countries have implemented workable solutions for tackling covid in all its variants, international trav...
Ep 11: Emotions in the Workplace, Global Remote Work, and Work-Life Balance - Too Good To Be True?
01 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of MI, we take a look at some of the current trends, that some call idealistic, driving the future of work. A part of being a modern i...
Ep 10: What does it take to transition from a steady job into the world of environmental impact? Our guest, Gala Anania, did just that.
20 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
On today’s episode of Modern Idealist, we have a conversation with climate evangelist Gala Anania. After a successful career as a translator and int...
Ep 9: What our listeners said about us// Revisiting the core of a modern idealist
03 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
A little ‘woohoo’ for us! Perhaps it’s a little preemptive to get excited about reaching our 9th episode, but we’re doing it anyway! After alm...
Ep 8: International Women’s Day Edition w/ Guest Jyoti Sohal-David - Progression Favors Some, Not All
08 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today marks the 109th International Women’s Day. During this month, we want to celebrate and highlight women from all walks of life, we will be talk...
Episode 7: The Career Portfolio vs The Career Path
25 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
For many of us who've been on the chase of a purpose-driven job or jobs that create a positive impact on our communities and society, we are often met...
Episode 6: A Call for Accountability And Action - How does that show up in Norway vs America vs Australia (Part 2)
08 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is part II of the last episode, episode 5. We continue our discussion about the millennials and gen z workforce asking for accounta...
Episode 5: Cancel Culture and a Call for Accountability at the Workplace - Does It Help? (Part 1)
08 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Over the past weeks and months, we’ve been traveling around to meet old friends around the world. Valerie has been in the US, UK, Canada, and Norway...
Episode 4: Finding Synergy Between Your Passion, Mission, Vocation, and Profession.
03 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Many of us dream of the perfect job. For many modern idealists, it is often a job that brings a positive impact and progression to society, it require...
Episode 3: Millions Reevaluate and Reconsider their Lives and Jobs During the Pandemic and The Great Resignation. Let's Talk about Hope and Finding Meaning.
03 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Valerie and Meryn have been separated by the Atlantic and travels to London, but it's not just for leisure. Pandemic lockdowns and social restri...
Episode 2: Social Impact Startup Nearly Led Us to Burnout // Hopes and Despair of the Triple Bottom Line
03 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Meryn and Valerie are both co-founders of two different social impact startups. We first connected over our passion for social innovation startups. Tr...
Episode 1: What's In The Title
02 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome to the first episode of the Modern Idealist, a podcast for career-driven professionals who are looking to make an impact. We're kicking off th...
Modern Idealist (Trailer)
01 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas